[Cards81fan]

Not that it is too much better, but I usually run to the tractor supply. Can find most of the hardware I need, with hawt little country 18 year old girls there to ring it all up. Also closer to me than lowes or HD, and I live in the middle of the city on an interstate. go figure...

[dieseldog]

Originally Posted by Zimm

lowes' kobalt mechanics tools are made in the USA. home depots stuff is all chinese...

ummm... stock wise, lowes is a better pick but both are trading lower than they should. ripples from the housing scare i understand. not sure thats fixable by management. not sure when to buy 'em, but id guess, not right now.

Stock prices don't mean shit if the stores are lousy. The horse MUST be in front of the cart.

[archie]

Home Depot Sucks!
I bought drywall bead that didn't have a UPC code on it and they backed up the already long lines to find the price.
Self checkout should be discounted items by 1% because it saves them money and should give you an incentive to use it( Not because you don't want to waste time in their super long lines)
The isles are small and tight and have a tendency to be less organized.



MENARDS rule. great service, good prices.

[White Shark]

It's pretty much a fact that the local True Value, Ace, or local lumberyard will typical fill a Contractor's needs better. Personalized service, quick access to needed materials, and they stock items pertinent to the local area better than the evil big box atrocities.

It's good to see the little guys in business. I'll always pay a bit more for the better service as it will pay off in the long run. I get the right part quicker and out onto the job faster.

Besides, the local hardware store tends to avoid hiring burned out old ladies, they usually have the hot chicks who remember my store account number and can check me out without asking a single question or asking for ID. Now that is cool!

[619TOY]

I have both within a couple of minutes of each other. I think the HD has better customer service. Neither seem to ever have the exact replacement part you're looking for.

[numtel]

Originally Posted by Cards81fan

Not that it is too much better, but I usually run to the tractor supply. Can find most of the hardware I need, with hawt little country 18 year old girls there to ring it all up. Also closer to me than lowes or HD, and I live in the middle of the city on an interstate. go figure...

Tractor supply is the best. They have everything that you can think of. I love going there almost as much as the junkyard.

[lone gunman]

they both suck! i miss eagle hardware (lowes bought them out)

but lowes has stainless metric bolts!

home depot does not!

[Jetboy]

I live near HD but often drive across town to go to lowes. The quality of employees seem much better at the local lowes. The manager of the Electrical department here is a master spark and was a great asset to me when I finished my basement and needed info on setting a subpanel. I also showed him a layout and he helped design my circuits on his desk at Lowes. I turned that drawing in to the city and passed, I also passed my electrical inspection with 0 changes, so it was a considerable help to me. Also I have found Lowes employees to say, I don't know. HD will act as if they know what the F they are talking about, but have no clue. Especially the paint department, Horrible, and poor quality products.
Also I have found HD to be cheaper on bulk items such as sheetrock or plywood, but more expensive for almost everything else.

Just my experience

BTW 4Corners Hardware in Bozeman MT is the best hardware store I have ever visited period. Seems like every employee except for the checkout girls are retired carpenters or plumbers or have similar experience. They must pay well because the same people are there year after year and know the store inside out. They have a great selection of odd hardware such as graded all thread (find that at HD...), stainless metric and odd sizes. They also are very competitive on prices especially power tools.

[NCxj]

Too bad none of you guys come into my Home Depot....since I work there. We bitch about the same stuff the customers do, but it doesn't really get heard. I work in a smaller store, and we are caught in a catch 22.

We have limited coverage alot of times. We say get us help, well the way we get help is make more money, but we can't make more money till we get more help...so it's the same thing all the time.

My parent's pretty much only shop at Lowe's, and for what they want. I understand why. Lowe's is more of a make your house look nice, we are more of a build your house kinda place....

[-Spike-]

I'm a handyman, I'm at HD at least once daily, usually more. Lowe's blows. I'll go out of my way to avoid them. HD is what it is- a discount hardware store, no frills. I know where everything is, and I know how to use it after I buy it, so 'sales associates' are worthless to me. I usually have to tell them where to find stuff. I do like the self-service checkout though- way faster, and the chickie watching the registers will always offer to scan large items for me.

-Spike

[NMuzj100]

The quality of every store depends on the employees and good employees won't stay long for bad management.

My last trip to HD an an assistant manager stayed 30 minutes past closing time to key several locksets alike for me doing the last five in the dark when the store lights went out. Service like that is amazing and you remember it for a long time.

Lowes looks better but the prices seem out of line and for such a huge store they hardly seem to have anything. Huge ailes with hardly anything in them. Every time I go to Lowes lured by a special on something I end up having to go to HD anyway to get something on my list.

Unfortunately our "local" stores don't seem that much better and sometimes seem to carry an even lower level of Chinese-made hardware.

[Texx]

Personally, I love the self checkout (but then, I DO have old man balls). I can normally get my shiznit, check out, and be back in my truck before the first call to the back of the store for a upc is answered. I use home depot, it's in my town, Ace is x2 on price. Lowe's is 20 miles away, but I've used it as well. I find basically no difference, other than price, between the two. Lowe's is usually higher. I have figured out the store, know where stuff is without help, and know better than to pick up a package w/out upc. Otherwise, contractors desk late at night is the ticket to avoiding lines. Saturday am is worst...all the "immigrants" trying to figure out how to self checkout...good God ya'll

[fsusteve]

Tough call, used to like HD and hate Lowes, now it's the opposite. Since I'm currently remodeling the house, I've prolly dropped $20k at Lowes since June with no issues at all, all products not in stock came delivered as and when promised. HD was my place but since they've sold they have really brought the suck, never have anything, apathetic when you can find help and gawd damn I hate self check out. Tried to get a mower belt there yesterday, NONE, ask the guy after looking for 10 minutes and he's like, "what?". He sealed it for me....

[pappy]

Originally Posted by numtel

Tractor supply is the best. They have everything that you can think of. I love going there almost as much as the junkyard.

I just drove cross country and saw my first Tractor Supply stores. Didn't go in, but was tempted to pull off the freeway for a look. I saw plenty of stores from Texas east, but they are not in the west ... so shopping with them isn't possible if you live in, or west of, a Continental Divide state.

[yooper]

I would kill to have either store here. Up here in North BFN the best store is Menard's and it sucks big fat donkey dong so bad.

The nearest HD is 100 miles away. I go once in a while. It's a special treat.

So stop your whining.

[mabrodis]

Huh, maybe I don't go to either enough, but I have no problems with either store. A local Home Depot which is NEVER, ever, busy, like 3 customers in the whole store, and they don't close for an hour, so not a bad place at all. All the Lowes I've been to around Denver have been fine, but I rarely need to ask for help...

[bigndn]

We only have HD here, but Coeur d'Alene has both. I'll go to HD ONLY if I'm going to another store in the immediate area. Otherwise, I prefer to spend my $$$ at the local True Value that is family owned and operated.

I refuse to go thru self-checkout unless all lines are full..........IH8SELFCHECKOUT.

[PHBeerman]

Originally Posted by bigndn

We only have HD here, but Coeur d'Alene has both. I'll go to HD ONLY if I'm going to another store in the immediate area. Otherwise, I prefer to spend my $$$ at the local True Value that is family owned and operated.

I refuse to go thru self-checkout unless all lines are full..........IH8SELFCHECKOUT.

Sandpoint has a HD? Wow times have changed.

[bigndn]

Originally Posted by PHBeerman

Sandpoint has a HD? Wow times have changed.

Amazingly so! Right across from the WalGiant, none the less. Kame-apart is now a Liquidation Warehouse.