scootergmc
old and slow
Plenty of places have metric fasteners. If you're looking for specialty stuff you may have to stray.
RIP Orchard Supply Hardware
- Thread starter Agent Orange
- Start date
Plenty of places have metric fasteners. If you're looking for specialty stuff you may have to stray.
Abacinator
Unholy Blasphemies
Not poor management IMO. What's happening is exactly what the holding companies intended.
MysterYvil
Mr. Bad Example
Mrs. said the same thing. I believe the both of ya.
aminalmutha
Well-known member
True, tho how did they land in the hands of holding companies?
The guy who is sinking Sears is a dirtbag and will make out very well in the end.
Toys-R-Us was a shitshow, so I was not surprised they tanked.
OSH... well, they didn't get to this point being dynamic. But yes, someone will make a lot of money out of each of these deals.
jt2
Eschew Obfuscation
Yep. Vulture Capitalism at its worst. But it isn't Lowes that did this. It was Eddie Lampert. He plundered OSH and saddled it with debt. Just like he's doing with Sears. His hedge fund is raking it in from interest payments on loans from his fund, paid for by sales of brands like Craftsman and now Kenmore, and will be the first to feed on Sears' carcass when it dies.
clutchslip
Not as fast as I look.
I am going to disagree, here, a little bit. Eddie Lampert bought Sears for the Real Estate. He is just another example, to me, of people getting money, power, and support when they are completely unqualified for any of it. He didn't want to lose money selling Craftsman and Kenmore.
When he organized the holding company, the real estate for Sears and KMart was indeed worth more than than the income valuation. So his initial premise was correct, from someone who didn't understand retail and the true value of all the Sears brands. However, the 2008 recession came along with more online shopping and even his 'correct premise' was down the toilet.
The real estate is worth considerably less than he paid for it. The Holding Company is a POS when it comes to branding and retail, thus the brands have sold for much less than they are worth, too. In short - Eddie Lampert is a complete and utter failure, even at trying to dismantle Sears to save his real estate losing ass. The guy pisses me off to no-end as someone who has been in retail.
clutchslip
Not as fast as I look.
wazzuFreddo
WuTang is 4 the children
this is when I get to use the “I know more than you” :laughing
aminalmutha
Well-known member
These guys would probably respond with "SIR! SIR! ARE YOU NOT INTERESTED IN SAVING MONEY!?!?! SIR! I'M TALKING TO YOU SIR! SIR! I CAN SAVE YOU MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!" and follow you half way across the store.
Been der, dun dat. :nchantr
I told one guy something along the lines of "You need to get the fuck out of my face." And another guy something along the lines of "Get the fuck out of my face." :nchantr
Eldritch
is insensitive
Bay Arean
Well-known member
Yeah, I am kind of a non-box hardware store follower. I been to Pagano's. Unfortunately, our Ace in Richmond closed when the owners retired. That was an old school place. We still have Pastime in Albany/EC which is okay but not great. I still miss Yardbirds!
THis leaves Jackson's in San Rafael. Haven't been there in a few years, but its an employee-owned store and I liked it pretty good. It may be one of the last good independents unless someone rises from the ashes of this latest closure.
I never been to a Lowe's because they strangely have chosen not to operate in my Designated Loser Zone or Richmond-SP up until now. I guess they will open one somewhere soon. Not sure if the Pinole OSH is big enough. That store has been pretty nice the last few years, very well stocked etc. I will miss it.
The thing about Ace franchises is that they vary tremendously. THe one in Richmond had the affiliation but it was a very serious store run by the Eames brothers. That place was the best for weird, obscure or out-of-date stuff like thermostats for 30 year old heaters that you aren't supposed to have etc etc. They could answer every plumbing issue I ever had and get me fixed up.The liquidation was heartbreaking but I finally got deep into the bowels of the area behind the counter, as it was a full-service, where you go in and ask for the stuff and they go find it for ya. Incredible selection and knowledge there.
Despite the volume, the plumbing selection at Home Depot is actually quite limited. I have to go to Pastime everytime my kitchen sink waste pipe rusts out because Depot does not have the part, period and never will. There are professional pllumbing places but quite often only open during business hours when I am work. The greatest value of big-box stores is being open when you are desperate to fix something. IF they have the shit you need. Same with electrical. I can get good stuff at Laner, IF they are open when I can get there, for example.
Oh, and I think Ashby Lumber/Hardware is decent too. Isn't there some place in SF that is pretty good? Years ago, I was receiving manager at the Woodsmith Store in Berkeley and the manager used to mention a place in the city but I have forgotten the name.
THis leaves Jackson's in San Rafael. Haven't been there in a few years, but its an employee-owned store and I liked it pretty good. It may be one of the last good independents unless someone rises from the ashes of this latest closure.
I never been to a Lowe's because they strangely have chosen not to operate in my Designated Loser Zone or Richmond-SP up until now. I guess they will open one somewhere soon. Not sure if the Pinole OSH is big enough. That store has been pretty nice the last few years, very well stocked etc. I will miss it.
The thing about Ace franchises is that they vary tremendously. THe one in Richmond had the affiliation but it was a very serious store run by the Eames brothers. That place was the best for weird, obscure or out-of-date stuff like thermostats for 30 year old heaters that you aren't supposed to have etc etc. They could answer every plumbing issue I ever had and get me fixed up.The liquidation was heartbreaking but I finally got deep into the bowels of the area behind the counter, as it was a full-service, where you go in and ask for the stuff and they go find it for ya. Incredible selection and knowledge there.
Despite the volume, the plumbing selection at Home Depot is actually quite limited. I have to go to Pastime everytime my kitchen sink waste pipe rusts out because Depot does not have the part, period and never will. There are professional pllumbing places but quite often only open during business hours when I am work. The greatest value of big-box stores is being open when you are desperate to fix something. IF they have the shit you need. Same with electrical. I can get good stuff at Laner, IF they are open when I can get there, for example.
Oh, and I think Ashby Lumber/Hardware is decent too. Isn't there some place in SF that is pretty good? Years ago, I was receiving manager at the Woodsmith Store in Berkeley and the manager used to mention a place in the city but I have forgotten the name.
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One of them followed.me around for about 5 minutes... like a CHP stalking someone on 5 I swear. I saw him doing it, let my guard down and then he pounced
I just blurt out "I rent" asap now. They lose interest pretty quick.
Abacinator
Unholy Blasphemies
I shop at Home Depot all the time because it's so close to where I live. Everything else is inconvenient.
clutchslip
Not as fast as I look.
Yeah, they really cut their own throat when they do this crap. It's a terrible mistake. People are too hip to pricing to try to gouge on some items. The idea behind the ACE franchise has been to not only have ad and brand leverage, but to have buying power. They should use it to compete, rather than to make-up for the expenses in small retail with a few items.
They started doing it on the individual widgets, too. Bolts and nuts that should be $.30 are $1.00. They don't have much competition in that regard, anymore. But, it seems like chump change compared to the goodwill that fair pricing brings.
Regardless, I realize that I need to support my ACE even more after this post, despite the minor gouge, or there will be no place to get any darn bolt, nut, screw, or anything else, that isn't the bottom of the quality ladder, and comes in quantities one does not require. YIKES! :wtf
Dr. Evil
Mother of God.
Grew up wrenching on Volvos. The local True Value never let me down.
AbsolutEnduser
Throttle Pusher
ev-ry sin-gle branch of Cole Hardware in the city is better than any ACE I have seen (and of course than home depot.) Not saying they are cheaper. BUT I have had at least one faucet item that was actually in-stock in their dinky "family" 4-branch store, rather than at Home Depot (well that was a wasted trip to HD
) (also stocks ACE/Craftsman items)that and the store in the middle of SF , 13th/Mission , called "Discount Builders Supply & Hardware". It's mid-size between a family store and HD. ... now that one.. HAD The Glass that I needed. HomDep--DIDN'T.
if I need help I literally go to the first one. Although I got help from the second one too, I think you have to find the right guy, maybe it was "Neal"
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Eldritch
is insensitive
ev-ry sin-gle branch of Cole Hardware in the city is better than any ACE I have seen (and of course than home depot.) Not saying they are cheaper. BUT I have had at least one faucet item that was actually in-stock in their dinky "family" 4-branch store, rather than at Home Depot (well that was a wasted trip to HD
that and the store in the middle of SF , 13th/Mission , called "Discount Builders Supply & Hardware". It's mid-size between a family store and HD. ... now that one.. HAD The Glass that I needed. HomDep--DIDN'T.
if I need help I literally go to the first one. although I got help from the second one too, I think you have to find the right guy, maybe it was "Neal"
DBS is fucking gold. It is the go to for a lot of professional contractors in the City.