I just sent the following email to Garrett Wade. Am I the only one who feels this way?
For some time now, I've watched in dismay as each succeeding issue of your catalog has contained less tool pages and more pages of what I can only call upscale junk. Another good company gone to hell to make a bigger buck.
You've finally reached my limit. Please remove me from your mailing list.
Yes. Have you seen the Tricycle and wagon for $500 in the lastest cat?
I just bought the "Vesatile Multi-Blade Saw" What a piece of junk. I was looking for a small fret/coping saw, this ain't it. I'm not ready to canceal my catalog but I will look at what I'm buying a little closer.
Kevin
G.W. has nice pictures and even some useful info in their catalog, but the prices are consistently much higher than places like Highland Hardware (my personal favorite) and such.
GPC wrote:
I have a theory of evolution that predicts every retail venture eventually ends up selling women's clothes. It doesn't matter what you start out selling. No matter where you start, the laws of this jungle dictate that you will be selling women's clothes within ten years.
Smith & Hawken started out selling gardening tools; now women's clothes. Banana Republic started out selling cool travel related stuff; now women's clothes. Orvis started out selling fly fishing stuff; now women's clothes. Garrett Wade started out selling high end tools. Now they're showing a lot of high end gardening stuff. Next year - you guessed it - women's clothes.
I'm going to stock up on Snap-On tools right now while I still can!
;-)
I think the problem is Garrett Wade did too good a job. Ten or more years ago, they were the only game in town. You could only go there for Japanese Tools (except for I think Hida Tools or the Japan Woodworker).
Their catalog was a collection of great photos with great features, and was well worth the $4 they charged.
Tom Lie Nielsen was their tool buyer. Well, you know where he wound up. SO you can buy great hand tools all over the world now, either by mail or internet; Woodcrafts are springing up, Woodworkers Warehouse brings basic tools to the masses that Sears used to serve, Highland's Catalog is as informative as Garrett Wade's used to be, plus they hold classes, Lee Valley gave us Veritas.
All because of Garrett Wade I think, so to stay competitive in a touogh world, they probably had to try to become the next Hammacher Schlemmer.
Tools... Gardening stuff... Women's clothing... Lee Valley...
ROB???
-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA
Jack Novak asks, sorta:
Gotta watch that high style clothing, too. Gardener's chaps, above the elbow mucking out gloves and on.
Charlie Self
Republicans understand the importance of bondage between a mother and child. Dan Quayle
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