Well, I have purchased qualiy lumber at Home Depot, but only after sifting though several pieces. The local 84 Lumber never allowed customers to pick through sacks, and eventually went out of business. The hardwoods at HD and Lowes are overpriced, pine okay.
Generally they are bigger in size than Lowes or HD, carry more hardwoods (shrink wrapped even). Have a broader selection of price levels than the other two.
That seems to be the case here in Southern Illinois.
Mark
The "new" Lowes are all designed for that class of woman you refer to.
They did a huge amount of research on who does the shopping and the spending in a Lowes and women are a major hitter.
The clear isles and cheery lighting is for one group of folks.
Lowes is a old N.C. firm that started out as a ratty looking lumber company that carried the "cheap stuff".
About 10-15 years ago, they hired some research folks and the rest is history.
They are now eating Home Depot's lunch.
My wife goes to Lowes > But ... in general, the women who shop at Lowes are much higher class and
Gee ... it's feels good to be vindicated by research. I didn't know the reason, figured it was the relative cleanliness of Lowe's, but being a self-styled connoisseur of the opposite gender and quick to notice beauty (expect nothing less from a Coonass), I knew, only in my heart mind you, that something was up. :)
Where I live, there's not a Menards. When my wife and I visit her parents in Cedar Rapids, Iowa I somehow manage to always get myself volunteered for some type of project. That typically breaks down to about 10 trips to Menards, 5 to Home Depot, 1 or 2 to Lowe's, and another 1 or 2 to Acme Tools. A lot of the trips to Menards are just because it's the closest, but also because they have more selection. In particular I like that Mendards carries hardwood moldings and have a selection of S4S hardwoods as well. It is odd though buying hardwood boards that are shrink wrapped. But these are things that neither Home Depot or Lowes ever carries.
I expect Espresso or cappuccino machines any day now.
They are really going after womens money.
I read a story in one of the financial rags about how HD have started to look into that same theory, although they are just a little behind.(15 years)
Notice the next time you are there, as to how much of the store is "guy stuff" and how much is "home" based stuff.
Most of those stores are 120,000 sq ft and lumber is on one or two rows.
Paint and wallpaper take up four rows.
The "Garden Center" is HUGE.
Sw> Gee ... it's feels good to be vindicated by research. I didn't know the
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