Most liked posts in thread: Rant: Trying to Shop Local

I like Lowe's...they went out of their way to give me $1.62 (10% off) for military discount...in which I wasn't looking to get...the cashier saw my Retired Military ID from when I pulled the cash out of my wallet.

 

Funny thing....
My home-depot has sent me to ACE.....my local ace has racks of nuts and bolts if different grades, and tons of other items...the depot jus had the "mainstream"stuff....

 

I bought two of those Harbor Freight 42" roller cabinets and built them into a workbench, I'm completely happy with them - and if you watch for a coupon, sometimes you can get them for $349 as I did.

 

Our local Ace hardware store is just like yours. It is owned buy a an older lady and her two sons and they very friendly and helpful. Even time I walk in they know me by name and they ring me up and enter my last name in the system for my Ace discount member card without asking. They have only been open for 5 years and they have doubled in size.

The customer service they provide is the reason I never go to Home Depot or Lowes unless Ace tells me they do not have what I am looking for.

 

Zettlers Hardware in Powell is also a good one. Nuts and bolts in bulk instead of prepackaged, they cut glass, fix screens, mix paint and know what the hell they are talking about.

 

Yep, I'm with youse guys on Ace, there's one only a mile from my house, and even tho there's a Home Depot also a mile away, if I just want a few items I go to Ace. It's more expensive, but so much easier to do business there.

I wonder if this is a "camera shop" thing. We have a similar store, one that used to have ten or so stores in the metro and is now down to just two. I went in to buy a mount as I was building an in-car mount to shoot track day vids and it seems like unless you're a pro photographer in to buy a new expensive camera, you're just not important enough to talk to, or beneath them some how. I needed it that day and I found one hidden in the mess and bought it, but go back? No way Jose!

BTW, all my pro photog buddies buy their camera stuff online too.....

 

My ACE has 3 rows of loose nuts, bolts, washers and they are all very well organized in pull out drawers . The Ace guy told me they have a guy that comes in twice a week and makes sure everything stocked.

If you need just two bolts or screws just grab them put them in the paper bag and write down the cost on the bag.

 

You can get Craftsman tools at Ace now!

 

We have this place, old style hardware store, stuff stacked to the roof :cornut: Check the first picture, you will see a guy behind the counter who we call the "Captain" :lol:

http://m.yelp.com/biz/national-hardware-supply-pinedale-fresno

 

danco!

I redid my whole garage as it needed it terribly, and this was the cornerstone of the revamp, getting all my tools into one area and three count 'em three tool boxes, down from six or more.

this is the after pic.....it's only a two car suburban garage, but it has an extra long side on one side.

 

A couple of blocks behind my shop is a hardware store thats been there since 1895 in the same building. You walk in and it's the original wood floor. The place is an icon. There is a Home Depot a half mile the other way. Granted they have most everything at a HD, but Patricks has one thing they don't. People that actually know WHAT they sell and HOW to use it! I'm with Nathan on this one, buy local!

And speaking of Ace Hardware, our local Books-A-Million recently closed and Ace went into their old store. This place has to be 75,000 square foot or better, I haven't been there yet but friends saw it's pretty bad ass!

 

When shopping for MINI stuff, I do not shop local...

 

opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:

 

I do, but my local guy has moved. Still consider him local so I continue to buy from him.

 

We have Roush Hardware here in Hooterville & they do a great job. Why you ask? Because they are employee owned like many of the Ace Hardware stores are. I refuse to buy from those big box stores.

Cord Camera, I gave up on them 10 years ago. To tell the truth I'm surprised they are still in business. B&H is a great store, not local to me but local to the folks in NYC.

 

We have a hardware store in town, the same family has had it for about seventy or eighty years. It takes up a city block. The front of the store is a small sales area, with most of the things you see in hardware stores, paint, glue, rubber boots and such, but go back into the warehouse behind the swinging doors and they have everything but lumber. The fastener area alone is bigger than my house! Pipe fittings? Any weird fitting or material you can think of, I have never stumped them! They are not the cheapest place in town, but you never have to go anywhere else to get what you need. The help is very friendly, knowledgeable and they are everywhere you turn.

I'm spoiled, having a place like that so close.

Dave

 

Slater Hardware in Lancaster, Ohio. If they don't have it, it doesn't exist.

 

I'm envious of you guys. Y'all obviously have much better Ace Hardware's than I do.

 

I was unhappy when my Sears Hardware closed. There aren't any small hardware stores in Hilliard. :cryin:

 

We have one of those too - Strasser Hardware - and while not exactly in my 'hood, it's close enough that when I need something I can't get elsewhere - they have it! Recently one Saturday afternoon I was putting some new front wheel bearings in a classic Mini, and the end of the stub axle where the nut goes on was buggered up, so I needed a threading die.....I got out my calipers and thread gauges and determined I needed a 7/8 - 14 die, not exactly a common size. I figured I'd have to order one online or wait till Monday to go to one of the industrial sales shops, but no...... they had it! and for less than $20 too!

We also are lucky enough to have the reknowned and world's only Harry J. Epsteins in KC. Look it up, it's a wonderful place that I had the priveledge of touring with the owner's grandson.....the stories told were nothing short of amazing!

http://store.harryepstein.com/

If you watch the "what happens to your order" video on the site, that's Jory (Harry J's grandson) in the video.