Home Depot can kiss my big orange ....

[wrbix]

The staff at our local Ace knows me well enough that when I walk in they ask, "NOW what are you trying to do?!"

At an ACE, walked in, employee asked what I needed, told him “a male and a female drop cord repair”, to which he replied “trimming hedges are you?”....nailed it. I had cut the cord.

 

[Jumpmaster]

If I have to choose, I prefer Lowe’s. They easily give a 10% discount to veterans and never a hassle. Not so with HD. I used to have to carry in my original DD-214 to HD in order for them to give me the discount. They refused to accept a scanned copy.

My wife prefers the local Ace and honestly for many items, they are a better value than the big box stores.

 

[bflynn]

I've learned that we no longer have a local hardware store because Walmart and Home Depot put them out of business. The nearest non-box store is about a 30 minute drive away.

 

[Tarheelpilot]

Do you remember the mechanical ones? And getting the carbon copy from it?

View attachment 89186​

A few years back I was buying something in a jewelry store and their network connection was down. The young lady waiting on me was stumped. She had no way to do the transaction. Then the store manager, a gray-haired guy about my age, came over, pulled a manual machine out from under the counter, swiped my card, and completed the sale. The youngster stared, wide-eyed in amazement. It was like she'd seen her first rotary-dial phone.

I’m surprised they still had the machine and carbons.

 

[SoonerAviator]

I like the layout of Lowe's better, and they usually have a better selection of light fixtures, handles, and other visual home accessories. I like HD for lumber, plumbing, and hand/power tools. I like Ace for the small parts like rivets, machine screws, grease zerks, and other hard-to-find hardware. If I need actual hardware store advice, I go the downtown HD store where most of the contractors go because the staff there are often ex-contractors and know their stuff.

I have had great experience with the two O'Reilly Auto stores near me, but I'm generally not in need of their expertise. However, when I do need that odd part, I go to the location which is in a rural town. They are much better at identifying parts because they are dealing with tractors, welders, construction and farm equipment as well as older trucks and such. No one in the suburb-location is going to know jack squat about hydraulic fittings or PTO clutches.

 

[NealRomeoGolf]

HD sells Ames shovels so I still have to shop there when I need a new shovel.

 

[KSCessnaDriver]

Home Depot sucks the worst. Lowe's is better, albeit not much. Menard's is definitely the best of the three.

Auto parts stores. Don't get me started. The worst is when you're almost done checking out and the phone rings. They are trained (OReilly is I know) that they have to answer the phone within three rings. So they sit there and look up a part for some honyok who's too lazy to get off his couch and is simply price shopping...They take 5 minutes on the phone (literally sometime) when the whole time you were 30 seconds from getting out the door. Nothing pizzes me off more.

I think it comes down to the people working at your local store. Around me, you can't get help if you want it at Lowes. Menards is nearly as bad, but Home Depot you can't get 2 steps in the door before you've got 5 employees asking if you need help. My biggest beef with Menards is that they don't make it easy to find stuff in the store. If I go to Home Depot, I know what I need, and you can look it up on their website with the store you want to shop, and it'll tell you exactly what aisle the item is in.

 

[Racerx]

Here ya go. Bill Burr rant on self checkout.

 

[ateamer]

I love the new Home Depot self checkouts. They're not perfect but much closer to what a store should have that deals in large bulky items.

My town has 4 small hardware/lumber stores. If I don't want to go to the big city I have to remember which of the 4 local stores sells which items I need.

The HD self checkouts will be a lot better when they get rid of the useless covid shields.

 

[ateamer]

@Half Fast

And the reason for restraining yourself is...?? Sometimes you have to hit 'em between the eyes with a 2x4 - which assumes the store has one in stock. Otherwise, no message throughput.

-Skip

Oh, they have 2x4s in stock. Lots of them. And every single one is warped, twisted or full of big knots.

 

[MuseChaser]

I await the next evolution in retail home improvement centers. Now, we can go get supplies from centers that specialize in tools, materials, and equipment for those of us who like to DIY. Knowing how much we like the DIY life, they offer us DIY checkout. In the future, I look forward to being able to stock the shelves ourselves with tools, equipment and materials we've sourced and paid the wholesellers for ourselves, then remove them from the shelves and self-check ourselves out and pay retail. A DIY dream!

 

[denverpilot]

I await the next evolution in retail home improvement centers. Now, we can go get supplies from centers that specialize in tools, materials, and equipment for those of us who like to DIY. Knowing how much we like the DIY life, they offer us DIY checkout. In the future, I look forward to being able to stock the shelves ourselves with tools, equipment and materials we've sourced and paid the wholesellers for ourselves, then remove them from the shelves and self-check ourselves out and pay retail. A DIY dream!

You forgot the contractor desk where you just walk up and pay and get screwed without a contractor even setting foot in your home!

Efficient and convenient! Lube available for an additional charge. LOL

 

[flhrci]

You forgot the contractor desk where you just walk up and pay and get screwed without a contractor even setting foot in your home!

Efficient and convenient! Lube available for an additional charge. LOL

I can't tell how you really feel?

 

[denverpilot]

I can't tell how you really feel?

Wife went into full remodeling mode.

Thank God for overtime right now. LOL

I’m expecting another additional five figure add on contract in email today or tomorrow...

At least I already warned the investment guy. Haha.

BOHICA!!!

 

[Kansas Flyer]

It takes 5 kills to become an ace, right?

Depends on which air force. As I recall the Germans required 10.

 

[Ventucky Red]

Depends on which air force. As I recall the Germans required 10.

The Russians didn't have aces... the edict was don't comeback unless you killed some Germans..

Getting back to Home Depot... use to be you could talk tradesman or someone the knew something in plumbing, electrical, etc... now, they see a customer and they run in the other direction.. I drive by a Lowe and a Home Depot to buy from a local store...

 

[Zeldman]

Depends on which air force. As I recall the Germans required 10.

And some of those guys racked up a big score at Pearl Harbor.....

 

[Initial Fix]

Have to agree that true value or ace have folks ready to help And typically with some vague description of what I’m looking for . HD takes a search party to find an employee in my experience.

 

[Juliet Hotel]

HD takes a search party to find an employee in my experience.

I know I'm in minority here but this is part of why I prefer big box stores. If I have to create a solution for a problem I don't know how to solve, I youtube it and website it until I'm able to figure out the solution I need. Counting on hardware store employees to create the correct solution is more miss than hit in my experience. So I usually don't leave the house unless I know exactly which items I need to buy. And my 15 years of hardware store management experience means even if I don't know where in the store those items are, I know what other items they tend to be stocked next to so finding them is rarely a problem for me. I visit hardware stores at least every other weekend. I bet I don't say more than 50 words a year total to employees and most of those are 'no I'm good' in response to 'you need any help?'

 

[ateamer]

 

[Pilawt]

Did you get to peak in the hanger at the Fun-Cat? Ag-Cat with hopper removed and bench seat installed. Has been known to find itself on floats from time to time

This one?

 

[Daleandee]

I had a similar experience at AutoZone not long ago. One guy working the counter, trying to look up a part on the computer for a customer. Meanwhile the line went halfway back the store. I gave up.

Years ago I was an assistant manager at a local auto parts store that has several locations and a large warehouse that has many parts that others do not. Anyway, I'm there with a newbie they had hired, it's Saturday evening and we are swamped. My line at the counter is nearly to the door and the other guy is getting the ones that don't realize he has no clue. A man walks up to the counter with an alternator in his hand and asks the newbie if we have one of those to which the newbie replies, "I don't even know what that is!"

As he turned for the door I asked if it was a Lucas alternator (I only got a glimpse of it in his hand) and he turned back and said, "can you help me?" I pointed to the line and he got in the back of it and waited. Yes, we did have what he needed and yes I took the new guy to the wood shed after hours. On Monday I told the boss that they really needed to focus on finding folks that knew the business or at least were trained before putting them in front of customers during the busiest day of the week.

 

[brcase]

This one?

View attachment 89288

That would be it, was trying to find a photo of it.

Brian

 

[cessna182b]

As far as Lowes & Home Depot, it depends on the store. The two nearest my house are very different: Home Depot you're pretty much on your own. That usually suits me as I pretty much know what I'm doing and what I'm looking for. Or I'm designing in my head as I go because I'm building something odd (ever designed a giant Jack-In-The-Box handle for a a dace prop big enough for dancers to hop out of? The plumbing aisle person isn't going to be much help.). Lowes is staffed with knowledgeable people who are around when you need them (and even proactive!).

When we remodeled my mother in law's house to prep it for sale, we spent considerable time in the Lowes & Home Depot near her house (same city, different side of town). It was just the opposite.

Your mileage may vary.

You bet! In general I prefer to shop at Lowes - but their prices tend to be a bit higher. Unfortunately, the "knowledgable staff" does not extend to the Garden Department. Case in point - I have been looking for
a particular shrub to plant in my yard to create a hedge. Lo and behold, Lowe's lists them on their website. But if you want to actually buy any, you have to contact the GD at your local Lowes. Turns out that the
staff doesn't know anything beyond what they have in stock (not what i am looking for) - and can't order anything. I tried several different Lowe's stores with similar results. WTF? I won't be hurrying back there.

Dave

 

[cessna182b]

I hate those self-check machines. They always yell at me. If I wanted to get yelled at I'd stay home.

In fact I prefer self check machines, and will use them anytime I can (in preference to a checkout clerk). The food market nearest where I live recently deleted a couple of checker aisles and replaced them
with four self-check machines. It is a huge improvement, IMHO.

Dave