I have a little hardware store dead near me but I normally try to avoid it.
> They have a way of making me feel about an 1" high when I don't know the
> "common" name for the part I'm after.
That's inexcusable behaviour for any business (or indeed, any social intercourse) and ultimately self-defeating, as demonstrated by your avoidance of the shop where possible ...
I also find that they're normally more expensive than my local sheds.
That's not my experience if you compare apples with apples. Unfortunately, all too often the sheds sell 'apples' that turn out to be turkeys!!