Battle of the 'Borg's

[Craig Hemsath]

Admit it, we all end up at one of the Big 3 more often than we'd like. So, which one do you prefer? Home Depot? Lowe's? Menards (for those of you that have them)?

[Don Abele]

Contrary to what a lot post here about the service/stock at the Borgs I have one of each by me that are both excellent in all regards (except wood quality which I buy from a lumber yard). Lowes is about 5 minutes closer so was my usual Borg of choice until January of this year. That's when Lowes Corporate Office put out a memo to stop giving military discounts. The local manager actually apologized to me personally saying I was the only active duty that ever came in the store. Now all my business goes to Home Depot who loves to give military discounts.

Be well,

Doc

[Prashun Patel]

The HD near me has marginally better 'lumber', but the LWS has a better plumbing supply section. If yr willing to wait for fresh stock and willing to pick through parts, then these places have passable lumber for many a small project.

For h. tools, it's a tossup - whichever has a sale running. IMHO, Kobalt and Husky have comparable handtool quality (at my level!).

For p-tools, if I'm buying Hitachi, Lws is hard to beat. But I usually consider Rigid in my search, so HD probably edges out Lws here.

One caveat on BORG's: watch yr fasteners. I've had screws AND lag bolts snap on me from HD. Problem with fasteners is that u can't tell the quality in the store. And a fastener failure cld be catastrophic - not just aesthetic. So, my advice is to buy the best fasteners u can from a reputable place.

I like the Ace near me for finishing; they have a good supply of brand name stuff and harder to find items.

[Jim O'Dell]

If I'm looking for normal hardware, or construction lumber, I will go to one particular HD. If I need some fittings for dust collection, I go to Lowes. If HD doesn't have enough specialty screws, then I'll try Lowes to see if they have them. Wish Menards would come to our area. Jim.

[Jeff Mohr]

I've got Home Depot and Lowes practically next to each other...less than 2 minute drive! Home Depot is the ONLY one a shop at...better prices, better service and perks that Lowes doesn't have.

[Ralph Barhorst]

Well it depends.

I find that Menards has the highest quality and best assortment of plywood and hardwood. They had some real nice looking maple ply, but I could not buy it since they did not have the capability to cut it down and my truck can't handle full 4' x 8' sheets. Menards also has nice MDO and Baltic Birch which is not handled by HD and Lowes.

I went to Home Depot and their plywood was horrible. I then went to Lowes and their plywood was not good but better than HD so I bought some from them. Both HD and Lowes can cut the plywood down.

Buying good plywood is difficult no matter where you go.

[alex grams]

I miss McCoys and Payless lumber. Those were the good old days of full scale out door lumber yards and people who worked there seemed to have a larger general knowledge of their products.

I play Lowe's/HD off each other (they are adjacent to one another where i live), and HD actually has extra speakers in their garden section which is next to Lowe's, so you can hear the HD system nice and clear in the Lowe's parking lot.

[Matt Meiser]

My closest Lowes and HD are right across the street from each other about 9 miles from home. The closest Menards is probably 25 miles. After a nightmare window purchase which revealed infighting between HD stores and a total lack of training, I'd sworn off shopping there, but since their recent changes I've been going back more. But Lowes is still my mainstay. However, in about 30 days, a new Menards is opening. Its about 3-4 miles further, but I'll probably start going there instead. When we do go to the other Menards, people generally know what they are talking about and are friendly. Probably because John Menard is watching them on camera :rolleyes:

I've been doing more and more of my shopping for basic plumbing/electrical/general hardware at the local hardware store though. The prices aren't much different, the service is immensely better, and I feel better about shopping there. The are doing a really good job of improving their stock too. For lighting and plumbing fixtures though they can't compete in terms of selection.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

You folks should move to Lewiston, Idaho.


No big decisions.

Everything but lumber....HD....only place in town...No Lowes....No Menards..... But IMHO...their lumber stinks.....

Framing lumber I go to a local lumberyard......local lumberyard says they can't even order what I need sometimes......

Exotics...if you can consider walnut...oak....ash...alder....cherry...maple...et c....plus imported exotics.....I drive 30 miles to Moscow, Idaho to a lumberyard there....or...


If I really need something special a Canadian company has a store in Spokane...where I will drive 220 miles roundtrip to get some really special wood....

The good news....if I really need something special......it's a beautiful drive either to Moscow or Spokane!:D

[Nancy Laird]

We have Lowe's and HD about 5 miles away, practically across the street from each other. The Lowe's is clean and the employees are helpful and friendly; not so at HD. The HD store is messy--what I call trashy--and it's difficult most times to find an employee, much less find one that's knowledgable about anything. When we were in Minneapolis, we had the chance to visit a Menard's (they haven't made it to the Southwest yet), and I was very impressed--with their selection, their variety, and their quality. We were able to find a motion-sensor light fixture at Menard's that we haven't been able to find anywhere here in Albuquerque. Wish we had bought two!! Since we buy all of our lumber either at a specialty lumber yard or in Tennessee (except construction grade, T-111 siding, and fence boards), we don't really have an impression of the lumber at either place, but I'm willing to take the opinions of the others here that it's not very good (is that an understatement??).

Plumbing and electrical all come from either the local True Value or a couple of specialty stores here--lots of general hardware from Woodworker's Supply.

[fred woltersdorf]

i have 2 hd's within 5 mi. and lowes is about 30min, so hd is usualy my first choice. that said i have an ace hardware store 5min away with a killer hardware section that i go to first. recently i bought a plastic replacement knob for my delta shower control at hd and the next day it broke. returned it for another and the next day that one broke also. i then went to a real plumbing supply and got on for $1 less. been in for a week now. i'm trying to support the local stores first.

[J. Z. Guest]

I have two HD's and a Menards closer to me than our local Lowes.

I try not to buy lumber at either one of them. Maybe stuff for jigs...

Fastners, I buy more of at Menards, since Menards carries Kreg products and it means one less stop.

For tools, it depends what I want. I buy tools all over the place. I find the one I want, then see if a local store has it.

Menards has Bosch & Makita, which my local HD's don't. Just the basic models though.

HD's have Milwaukee & Dewalt, as well as the stationary Ridgid tools.

Lowes has more brands than either, including Hitachi. (great value on Hitachi!)

I started filling out the Home Depot surveys online, and since then, help is much easier to find in the store. That was my one main gripe with HD. If Menards has the same product as HD, it is always cheaper at Menards.

So I guess that's a long-winded way of saying I don't show any preference. :)

[Carl Fox]

I used to like HD until customer service went to crap and it got overrun with illegal aliens.

I thank God above there is a Lowes just as close.

However, I must admit I love HF very much.:rolleyes:

[Jim Becker]

I generally shop at HD more than Lowes as the product mix at HD is more to my liking. But sometimes I hit Lowes 'cause they have something that HD doesn't...like Zinsser SealCoat. My HD doesn't carry it; only the waxy varieties. I have never had any issue with customer service at either store I shop at. I can't say the same for the HD I was in in Coral Gables FL not long ago...took forever to get help in the lumber department. (I was doing some projects for a close friend while I was down there on business)

[Eric Barker]

We don't have a BORG within 100 miles so I do all my buying from the local lumber/hardware place that I've frequented since 1975. I do also have a commercial account with Lumber Products and can get most anything delivered to my door in a couple of days.

My limited experience with Lowes and HD is that I prefer the service at Lowes and the inventory at HD. However, I'm content living in the country and dealing with my friends.

[Dave Burris]

I needed extra money for a while and pulled a part-time gig in the evenings and weekends at one of our local Home Depots. Times were hard and the main job just wasn't enough. Anyway, the one thing I noticed about HD is the lack of aprons on the floor. I worked the electrical department but only spent about 40% of my time in my department. I think this is their greatest downfall here in my area. If you put aprons on the floor, the store will look better and people will shop there. Just my opinion after working 35hrs a week for 6 months (part-time, what ever!)

[Matthew Voss]

The HD here just started carrying domestic 3/4" (2' x 4' and 4' x 8') Birch, Maple, and Cherry ply.

[Richard M. Wolfe]

I live in a town of about 15,000 so we don't have either one. I go thirty miles down the road to a town that isn't much bigger but has both. (Larger customer base for outlying areas...which I guess includes me :)). I go to HD first (closer on the edge of town to me) and get a price. Drive down four or five blocks and get a price from Lowes. If only one store carries it the choice is obvious, otherwise the lowest price wins. For this particular town Lowes is cleaner -- no big deal; I'm not going to live in the store.

Incidentally, Alex, my town has a McCoy's - and two other full service lumberyards. That plus Ace Hardware and I usually find what I need in town without paying for another sixty miles on my pickup. Since I have a sawmill it's been a long time since I bought lumber anyway. So it's mainly finishes, hardware, and what little plumbing and electrical I need.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

We don't have a BORG within 100 miles

Is that even POSSIBLE???? LOL

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

I tend to play them off on each other for 'major' purchases -
'moving coupons' (often 10%-20% off) and "project starter" cards are great at both. There's a Lowe's near where I work - handy when I want to get out of the office for a bit. There's a HD right off the highway on the drive home, and there's a HD right in my town. For basic stuff, the local HD is convenient. There's a Lowes maybe 5 miles from my house (in the other direction from work), so if the price is right I'll go there. I have a True Value in town that is great for all the 'little stuff' that would be impossible to find at HD....or if I want to ask a 'real' person a question. but they have very odd hours.

The Lowes around here beat HD any day of the week (and twice on Sundays) for neatness, cleanliness, and organization. But HD is more convenient for me.

[Eric Gustafson]

LOL! I had heard that Lowes intentially put their stores in proximately to HD to ensure they could take market share, now I am sure. It is funny how many of the above posts say that the two stores are so close. Lowes moved about a mile from the HD I always went to here, as well.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

Most big-box stores do that. In fact, they'll also put their own stores close together just to maximize 'coverage'. I had heard that was an old Sam Walton trick - he'd sit across the street from another store (such as a K-Mart), and if the amount of traffic was good, he'd put up a WalMart right across the street.

[Travis Gauger]

I have a HD a LMS and a Menards all at the same intersection. The lowes is fairly new in this area. Maybe a year or two. I prefer Lowes for everything except wood which comes from my sawmill. I used to love menards. Last year before X- Mas my wife and I bought a few lawn decorations from Manards on a good sale. Got them home and was working on putting them together when I got to the last one. It was mangled inside the box. These are those cheesy decorations that are made of stell wire and has the lights all over them. The wire in this one was bent beyond recognition. I couldn't even get the thing all the way out of the box. So I set it aside so it could get returned. A few weeks later, still before X-Mas, I took it back into the store to exchange it. They didn't have anymore and offered me an in store credit. I said no thinks I'll just take my money back. I had my receipt, I had paid with Cash, and I wasn't real pleased with the suggestion of an in store credit. She said that would be fine and proceeded to get me the money owed. she handed me $8.41. I told her there must be a problem because I had paid for $59.99 for that item 3 weeks ago. It said so on my receipt. She then informed me of Menards new policy to screw anyone who buys defective product from them buy keeping most of their money.
I guess that they have a policy that if you buy something for $100 and they put it on sale for $80. when you return it you only get current pricing regardless of what you paid. I was upset at this point and my neighbor is the manager. I asked to talk with him, as we are quite good friends and I thought he would be able to see the blaten disregard for common sense in this situation. He came down and told me that there was nothing he could do, it was the policy. I told him that it was really too bad.
So skip a year and a half forward. My neighbor and I still get along fine. I have not been into a menards since that ordeal. I didn't get anything for the decoration that I returned to them. Nothing. I didn't take the $8.41 they offered. I told them that I would consider this a theft through fraud and handle it another way. I never did of course, but it still burns me. Over the past 1.5 years I have completely redone my shop, my basement, most of my yard, and all new tools as a business oportunity took off. A few weeks ago my neighbor and I were talking in the shop over a beer, and he asked why I never come to him for any of my tools. I fortunately had just been finishing up my taxes and was able to tell him that the thousands of dollars I spent at Lowes and HD over the past year would have been his, but that return policy screwed that up for him.

I will never go into a menards again. Period. They stole my money. I have never had an issue with LWS or HD like that. My $.02

[Ron Jones near Indy]

I have 2 Lowe's, Menard's and Home Depot within 20 miles. The newest Lowe's is closer that any of the others. They are still big on customer service--lots of help if you want it. Menard's is pretty good too. The older Lowe's has a larger inventory, it seems, but has fewer people on the floor.

At HD you have trouble finding someone if you need help. And if you do find someone, they seldom have any idea of what you are talking about or where to find it. I haven't been there in over a year--maybe they have changed.

Luckily I have 2 really good hardware stores and a Tractor Supply close. All three have informed employees who are always ready to help.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

Wow, that's quite an experience. Amazing how some people (and companies!) can be penny-wise and pound-foolish.

I will say one thing about both HD and Lowes - I've had *excellent* experience in returning or exchanging items. At HD, we had some custom Levolor cordless shades made, and *someone* messed up on the length - it could have been us, and it could have been them. No matter - they took them back, reordered, and we had the right ones a week later with no questions.

[Tim Thomas]

Near me there is a smaller building supply home center called "Marvin's". Currently most of their locations are in Alabama, but they have a few on the east side of Mississippi and one in the panhandle of Florida. I always go there first for several reasons: (1) it is a smaller store and is much easier to find what I am looking for. (2) I always see the same people working there. These folks are helpful, knowledgeable and there is always someone around when you need them. (3) They have an outdoor, drive-in lumber yard. I can back directly up to a pile of lumber and slide the pieces straight into my truckbed. MUCH easier than the Lowe's or HD route where you have to wrestle things off of the rack onto a cart, then go through the store with the cart while trying not to hit anybody, then walk through the parking lot while trying not to get hit by anybody, then unload from the cart to your truck while the cart tries to roll away from you and smash into the side of a BMW. Yuck.

That being said, Marvin's is significantly smaller, and while I can usually still find what I want there, there are some times when I have to go to Lowe's or HD. There are at least 3 of each of these in my town, so where I go really depends on which one I am closest too while running other errands. I think the prices are a little better at HD, but I find that the Lowe's stores are usually cleaner and make it is easier to find what I am looking for.

[BOB OLINGER]

Great questions - very interesting replies.

We have a Lowe's in town and I frequent it. HD and Menards are 25 mi. away. Rumor is HD is coming to town. Also, I called Menards and told them I'd like to see them in town. It strictly depends on what I'm buying. Lowe's gets first chance on regular stuff since they're in town. Also, I think Lowe's has the best trained sales people -they normally know some about the products and application; Menards sales people are just clerks; HD inbetween. On tools, Menards doesn't carry DeWalt, so that's a factor. Menards usually has more products and better selection (ie. especially on hardwood ie. oak and other lumber). HD is messy - they must think that presents a comfortable feel to the customers. Frankly, I like them all and choose best price given everything else is equal.

[Brian Effinger]

The Lowe's is clean and the employees are helpful and friendly; not so at HD. The HD store is messy--what I call trashy--and it's difficult most times to find an employee, much less find one that's knowledgable about anything.

I have to agree with you Nancy. I have both a few minutes from my house, and shop at both. The Lowes is newer and cleaner, but the HD just went through a remodel, so they really don't have an excuse. Also, I think it is hard to find any employee at either store. Both have gone down hill since I was a drone at HD 10 years ago. I have a few friends who work there, and the say the "culture" is horrible, compared to the way it used to be, when HD first came to town.

Even with these negatives, I still shop at both quite a bit. If I need something quick, they're great. I'll occasionally buy tools ("construction" grade that is) and electrical & plumbing stuff from them. If I can wait, I'll get my lumber from a lumber yard, or my hardware from the local small store, or flooring from a local flooring supplier. Being in a construction related field, I have a good relationship with some of the smaller stores, because they know my name and what I do.

[David G Baker]

Craig,
I hit all three because for my purposes each one has its good points and I try to take advantage of them.

[glenn bradley]

Lowe's is much better than HD where I live now. When I lived 600 miles upstate the HD was better.

[Doug Arndt]

Seems the individual stores have a lot to do with it.

I'm in the Chicago limits, there are several HD's, a Menard's, and a Lowe's within reasonable distance, and a few more farther away.

For the most part, they're messy, one HD has so much stuff on the floor it's hard to get through without running into something. The Menard's is often out of stock. For the most part, they're all a mess and I try to avoid them if I can. If I happen to be going to my son's (near Wheaton), there's a rather nice HD, I'll shop there. When we travel to Wisc, there are Menard's and Lowe's in Manitowoc, that Menard's is quite nice, clean, nice folks, nicely stocked. And the sales tax is much lower. The Lowe's is new, but the same. My gut reaction is, Lowe's has a higher quality of product. Still, my favorite stop in Manitowoc is the local Fleet Farm, I'll buy there first.

I've bought more larger items at Menard's, in Manitowoc, then anywhere else, refrigerator, drill set, belt sander, misc stuff. Still, like all Menard's, their "jingle" they keep playing is VERY VERY anoying. Then again, the dual language on EVERYTHING in Lowe's agravates me, so I try and avoid them unless I have no other choice, for that reason alone, they're last on my list.

Interesting reading some of the war stories at various stores, companies can't seem to understand (or don't care) that they only get ONE chance to LOSE a customer.

[Randal Stevenson]

We used to have Home Quarters, Builder's square, Payless Cashways, Sutherland's lumber, and Home Depot, all within a 10 minute drive of one another.

Now, while I have a Menards about an hour away (still haven't got there), I have a friend (bosses brother), that drives up there for internal stuff (doors, etc), past 84 (85?) lumber, two Home Depot's, a Lowes, Sutherlands, and a Westlake Ace hardware. For the others, it does depend on the item.

I have some problem with all of them, because I used to get regularly asked if I worked at whichever one I was at (NOT IN A UNIFORM).

[Richard M. Wolfe]

"I have some problem with all of them, because I used to get regularly asked if I worked at whichever one I was at (NOT IN A UNIFORM)."

Randall, maybe you should consider that a compliment because you looked like you knew what you were doing. Never happens to me. :o

[John W. Willis]

I have Lowe's and Home Depot very close to each other and maybe a 5 minute drive for me.

I mainly shop Lowe's and that is because it is the lesser of two bads.

I had a bad experience at HD and after trying, in writing, to point out some obvious problems, they tried twice to buy me off with ever increasing amounts of gift cards. I only wanted to point out problems so that they could be addressed. I refused their gift cards and they were very insulted.

Lowe's!

[Carl Fox]

I have Lowe's and Home Depot very close to each other and maybe a 5 minute drive for me.

I mainly shop Lowe's and that is because it is the lesser of two bads.

I had a bad experience at HD and after trying, in writing, to point out some obvious problems, they tried twice to buy me off with ever increasing amounts of gift cards. I only wanted to point out problems so that they could be addressed. I refused their gift cards and they were very insulted.

Lowe's!

Send those gift cards to me.:cool:

[Bill Jepson]

Ok I'm going to cut loose on this one. The HD's in my area simply stink, they are rank, low, trashy pond scum. (Tell us how you really feel Bill) I understand that there are supposed to be some changes at HD but in my area, (San Francisco Bay area) San Jose in particular, they just suck. Every time I go in to HD the stock is disorganized and everything is out of place. I don't know if this is because of the customers, or the crew. It is true however. One other thing the quality of the regular bin hardware, (nuts, bolts, screws and washers), besides being in the wrong bin too often, is terrible. If you check they have had a bunch of the standard size bulk hardware built with a custom head stamp. This isn't a grade stamp, it is so the brain dead counter help can ring it up easier. This stuff is junk. These bolts barely qualify as mild steel. I will not buy from them any more. They also are understaffed with never enough registers open. Even the self-help computerized things are broken half the time. Bodes ill for a HD recovery. In contrast the local Lowes is clean and they at least TRY to keep things in the right drawers etc. They have enough people working that you can get help and check out without ageing visibly. Lowes also has bearly adaquate basic bin hardware, don't use it on anything critical. They (Lowes) do carry more packaged brand-name hardware which I will buy when ever I can afford it. I personally would rather have 10 pieces extra than have something break on me. That usually costs a lot more. They do cut costs in odd areas though. For fun go into your local Lowes and ask for a #11 drill, or an 'F' drill. They won't have it, fractional sizes only if not pre packaged.
I do try to support local stores unless they don't carry what I need. I'll even pay more! Gasp what a concept.
Bill

[Peter Quinn]

I prefer Menards, because we don't have them where I live thus they have yet to annoy me. The other two are like choosing between which type of cancer I would most like to contract.

Most of my business goes to a quality local operation called The Rings End, who has survived in my local market by catering to contractors and architects. They supply quality building materials and millwork of all kinds. In the end they are usually cheaper. Ever try to buy 16-oz copper flashing at the BORG? Or a door that isn't warped? Or...oh, the list is too long.

[Rich Konopka]

I'll admit it. I don't go to the BORG and I have one less that 3 miles from my home. I have a woodcraft and Coastal Tools within 5 miles from my home and Tools Plus ( and yes their prices are just as good as online) within 20 miles. I have better luck finding hardware at my local Ace hardware. I shop the smaller stores or online.

[Dennis Peacock]

Lowes

Our local Home Depot stinketh. :)

[Matt Meiser]

I got one of those complainer gift cards from HD after my window problems. When I went to the store to spend it, the manager I wrote to complain about and three other employees, which must have been just about everyone on duty, followed me around the store the whole time, two of them at each end of whatever aisle I was in. They never responded when I wrote back. Though I did see him working as a stock boy at Tractor Supply several months later.

[Larry Nall]

I like the blue color scheme at Lowes compared to the orange at Home Depot. That's about the only difference I have noticed.

[Craig Hemsath]

So with like 40 posts, we've uncovered that basically it amounts to the individual store...

In my area, I have a HD and Menards across the street from each other with a Lowe's about 2 miles further down the road. HD seems to have the most helpful/knowledgeable staff with Menards having the worst- lots of high school kids.

All three seem similarly clean, etc. The Menards is clearly the busiest of the three, fwiw. In my opinion, Menards has the better selection of construction type stuff with HD and Lowes having more tools and 'home improvement' type things. I try to get my basic hardware type stuff from the local Ace store (great people running it) I don't care if it costs a bit more, they've always been great. Between the other three, it always seems like I end up at Menards getting what I need unless I know one of the other two has it better/cheaper.

[Peter Quadarella]

Strange - in my last residence (Staten Island, NY) and where I am now, Lowes was clearly a notch above Home Depot in terms of service and product quality. The two stores are right across the street from each other here and I do go to both still. I like the Ridgid brand and a few other things at Home Depot a little better than Lowes, but overall the Lowes here is a nicer store.

I've never heard of Menard until this thread.

[Michael Lutz]

I mainly shop at Menards, they are less expensive on most items that all the Borgs carry and closer to home and work. I buy plywood at Menards because it is convenient, decent, and less expensive than the other two. For tools I shop around and often buy on-line. Sales people are not real knowledgeable at any of the stores, but at least at Menards they try.

Mike

[Ron Jones near Indy]

Strange - in my last residence (Staten Island, NY) and where I am now, Lowes was clearly a notch above Home Depot in terms of service and product quality. The two stores are right across the street from each other here and I do go to both still. I like the Ridgid brand and a few other things at Home Depot a little better than Lowes, but overall the Lowes here is a nicer store.

I've never heard of Menard until this thread.

If Lowe's isn't tops in Charlotte,---well you know the rest of the story. It's their back yard. They need to put on a good appearance for the home folks.

[John W. Willis]

Send those gift cards to me.:cool:

I wouldn't do that to you Carl. It broke my heart to refuse them but sometimes the principal of the thing still wins.

[Art Mulder]

Admit it, we all end up at one of the Big 3 more often than we'd like. So, which one do you prefer? Home Depot? Lowe's? Menards (for those of you that have them)?

Hmm, haven't see a Canadian in this thread yet...

No Menards in Canada, not that I know of.
Lowes is moving in, but not in my area yet.

I go to Rona (Canadian Borg chain :p) most often, since it is all of 1.5km from my house. I even bike there at times. Some folks expect that Rona will get bought by Lowes, since it has a similar bluish colour scheme. ;)

I also visit HD on occasion, which is 7km away, when I'm in that area. They do have a different selection on certain things, but price and quality isn't that different, I find.


So with like 40 posts, we've uncovered that basically it amounts to the individual store...

I've noticed that also. I've also seen similar conclusions/discussions when Woodcraft or Rockler is the subject.

I'm also blessed to have a Lee Valley store here in town. I get most of my cabinet hardware there. (not that that is so much, I am just a hobbiest, after all.) One thing I've noticed, from my own experience and from discussions on Canadian forums, is that LVT stores appear to be more consistent. They're not franchises, so they're all owned and controlled by the corporate office.

Oh yeah, we also have Canadian Tire up here in Canada. Which, despite the name, is actually a large hardware/auto/home store chain. In small towns, Canadian Tire is still the small local home/auto store that it has always been. But in the larger towns, C.Tire has gone Borg-sized in order to compete. Seems to be doing okay so far.

Oh yeah, we also have two other smaller lumber store chains around here (Copps Buildall, and Moffet+Powell) which are probably more builder-oriented than the Borgs. I'd probably go looking at them if I wanted better quality building materials.

...art

[Steven Wilson]

Well, the fasteners available at the Borg are useless junk, they don't service the durable goods they sell (need a weed wacker part) or have parts for them, and the products they carry (all of them) are fairly low end. The only thing I shop for at the Borg are disposable items. I much prefer shoping at my local Hardwark Hank (they know what a grade 8 bolt is) or head on in to Seven Corners Ace in St. Paul.

[Harry Hagan]

Whenever possible we patronize the local Mom & Pop hardware store.

HD is a five-minute drive, but that's only when we have something specific in mind and know where it's located in the store. If we’re not sure what's needed, we drive the extra five minutes to Lowes knowing it will take less time rather than spend the additional 15 to 20 minutes at HD trying to hunt down a sales associate that's not "on break", "at lunch", etc. Lowes gets all of our big-ticket purchases after my crew was unable to locate anyone in the door department on five separate visits. The last quote we requested on a materials list for a new building took two weeks to complete and they forgot the siding and roofing.

[allan cripe]

It's like anything else....If you are looking for higher end specialty items....you don't go to the borgs. You cannot reasonably expect to get wonderful service every time you go there. They are a corporation with efficient(most of the time) purchasing and distribution. Majority of cheaper items are imported. I go there often, but I don't expect much in the way of customer service, I like being able to get the majority of items I am after at a reasonable price. With regard to woodworking, they are not that specialized (i.e. woodcraft) to have mass appeal here, they are more of a home improvement store (All of them). I really don't see myself getting wrapped around the axle at them for things I should not (sadly) expect from them.