One time I went to 84 Lumber and needed to buy several 2x4s. As I sorted thorugh the boards associate approached me and said, "You can't do that!" Hugh? He stated that I picked the best ones there would be a useless pile of warped, waned, split, and twisted boards left. HD or Lowes never does that. Guess who went out of business?
Odd, the problem that the OP describes is almost guaranteed when I go to the Orange-Colored Store. The (much less convenient) Lowe's IME has much better stock. However, I've pretty much given up on finding any metric stainless hardware locally, even in the good non-chain stores (which is awful handy for adding accessories to bicycles, for instance) and have ended up buying in bulk from McMaster-Carr, thus ensuring that I have 50 or 100 of an item that I only needed two of (but saves me money and time on gas, and then I have a lifetime supply thereafter...)
Anyone need some 5 or 6mm stainless nylocs? :)
nate
I live in Pearland, Texas and I have a Loew's and Home Depot within 5 miles.
I also have an ACE hardware where you get great service and good advice and the employees aren't playing hide-and-seek when you are looking for help. :-)
There are also another 2 locally owned hardware stores that have been here at least 20 years.
It nice to go into a store and the employees smile and actually like working there.
Hurricane Ike did a big number on the fences in my area, Friendswood, Alvin, and Houston. I have had plenty of fence jobs. :-)
Take care, Andy
Agreed, at the end 84 was also pretty sad, and carried a very limited line. Our 84 went away shortly after Menards opened up across the street from Lowes. No traditional full-line yards left near here, just a couple boutique places that specialize in high-end doors/windows or fancy millwork, and only have a small supply of normal stuff. I assume they survive on M-F crack-of-dawn business from the trade, because during the few hours they are open when I can shop there, the parking lots are always empty. A regional franchise, 'The Yard', tried to open up here a few years ago. Selection was slanted to rural country folk houses or pole barns, and prices were on the high side, but at least the small showroom smelled like a real lumberyard. They went away when the money-lenders imploded last year. I miss the Wolohans we used to have. They tried to match the selection Lowes had on decorator frou-frou, and cut back their selection of actual building materials, and the real builders quit going there. They had been like a traditional yard, in an industrial area and all, but they weren't that old. I think they were the ones that made the local ma'n'pa yards that stored their framing lumber in outside racks go under or become boutique specialty yards.
-- aem sends...
aemeijers wrote in news:HaWdnfWEwrSpJTHXnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:
up here in New England, most store signs were in American & Quebec French (which is nothing like Parisian French) up until about 15-20 years ago. big box signs are in American/Spanish now, but i think the French speakers still outnumber Spanish speakers. lee
Jesus didn't speak English, either.
Immigration policy is the government's business.
Lowes business is selling stuff to anybody who wants to buy it, even those who don't speak English, not determining immigration policy.
Hmmm, Where can you go then?
I had much the same impression, the couple time I've been in Lowe's. I wish people would learn to speak American, which is noticably different than English.
He does in my Bible. But not the Jesus who wants to mow my lawn.
Hi, Your name does not look like a native Indian. America/Canada is melting pot of multi culture. If you can't go to a store displaying multi lingual, I think there won't be many stores you can visit world wide.
Since I speak both English and Spanish, that would be helpful to me, in that I can brush up on my building supply vocabulary in Spanish. Unfortunately, the local Lowes is all English, though it was only built about 5 years ago.
The Jesus I know speaks Mexican, he's a nice hardworking little feller.
TDD
I go to the locally owned hardware store; they carry ACE stuff. If I want paint, I go to a locally owned paint store.
Better prices, better products, and the money stays in the local economy.
If you want to move to this country, great. Do it legally, learn English, and welcome to America.
Jon
I hear that. Same happened here. Our local hardware/building supply/general store lost the race as well. I have one place that is quite old (built in 1870 and updated through the years). I could always buy a matching plumbing fitting etc. from Ray's. Now a simple project like fixing a leaking faucet can easily become a major (and expensive) retrofit because nobody around here carries that stuff anymore. Not to mention Ray and/or his son knew how to fix just about anything, whereas now I feel lucky if the help can tell me what row I might find something in.
They are locally managed. Try another store or Home Depot.
Yeah, but look what happened to Him.
Or maybe it was because He was a carpenter...
That surprises me. I've been to Lowe's in about five states (north and south) over the last couple of years (while visiting relatives, and being drafted to help with projects), and every single one had the English/Spanish signs. I assumed it was chain-wide.
-- aem sends...
aemeijers wrote: [...]
I think you are right, it is chain-wide.
What seems odd to me is why there is no outcry about "profiling" - I mean, I would expect stores operating in the US where English is the predominant language to use English for their signs, but why target Mexicans as the "other" shoppers? - that's profiling, plain & simple. What about Austrian speaking peoples? ("Austrian language" as being recently discovered by our president).
AL
A year or so ago I went to our local lumber/hardware store to look for an item I had not been able to find anywhere else. While there I happened across a Stanley "Wonder Bar" with a price tag of $11.xx. I was surprised, because I already had one at home that I had bought not long before at Menards (Wisconsin-based regional chain), and I was sure I had not paid that much for it. In fact it still had the Menards price sticker on it -- $5.99, and I am sure that I had bought it when it was on sale, probably for $4.xx. At Lowe's it was $8.xx. I don't recall ever checking HD's price.
Same item, same "famous" US brand, all made in China, widely differing prices. Guess why I go the the local lumber/hardware store only as a last resort.
One day in the electrical aisle at HD I ran into a guy who was checking marked prices against what turned out to be an invoice from one of several local "real electrical suppliers." Some items were cheaper at one, some cheaper at the other.
One of the local Ace Hardware stores carries Benjamin Moore paint only in gallon cans -- no 5-gallon pails. The other doesn't carry Benjamin Moore at all -- only the store brand.
Perce
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