Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[ronjhall]

I have HF, TSC and RK all within 15 miles of place. Problem is they are in opposite directions. My complaint about RK is it seems they never have the item I want in stock. Even nuts and bolts.

 

[Rock Crawler]

Honestly guys, a year ago we had no RK and no HF. The HF was put into our empty Best Buy building in the Beaver Valley Mall parking lot, and while that was happening.... boom! A newspaper article pops the news that the big empty Sears wing of our mall USA being opened back up as a RK.

I was so excited to know that I was getting both of these stores, right beside each other, 20 minutes away, and in the path of my drive home from work that I didn't sleep well for months as I anxiously waited for the respective grand openings.

I like HF a lot. But the RK store is just amazing because it literally has everything. And what is nice about RK is that there are no sales, no coupons, no waiting for the good deal. RK sells at the bottom dollar every time, every day.

Yep. I'm a really lucky fellow. I've got a great wife, a great dog, and I've got a RK and a HF now as well. Life is great!

Oh, by the way... I'm doing the back corner of my garage with the foam floor covers. Harbor Freight has them on coupon for $6.99 per 4 pack, RK standard price is $7.99 per 4 pack. Do im buying a pack each day on the way home from work and getting a free tarp. I'm up to 17 tarps on the shelf currently with 5 in use right now.

 

[weldingisfun]

I've usually seen HF brag that they are opening on average 3 stores daily nationwide. When I was at my store a few days ago, the sign I saw said 'opening 2 stores daily ...'. So, either they're slowing down for some reason, or they're already everywhere and there isn't much room for as many new stores.

Take that with a grain of salt. The local store here advertised it's "Grand Opening" every week for well over a year.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

They have 800 stores.. So they have only been in business under 7 yrs....

 

[Ford850]

Take that with a grain of salt. The local store here advertised it's "Grand Opening" every week for well over a year.

Yeah I think they keep 3 stores in a grand opening status at a time. That way they can say every day there are 3 stores having a grand opening.

 

[Rock Crawler]

Yeah I think they keep 3 stores in a grand opening status at a time. That way they can say every day there are 3 stores having a grand opening.

We have blow out clearance sidewalk sales once a month at this HF. Its just the sales tactic of a coupon based business model. For them to continually excite and drag in the business who otherwise wouldn't come, they advertise big and bold signs about the clearance and closeout.

I know that this one here always had customers filtering in and out.

 

[Threepoint]

Rock Crawler, sounds like we may need to do a tarp intervention.

A few posts back you were planning to kick the tires of the RK 72" lower tool cabinet vs. the new HF U.S. General v.2 model to see how they compare in quality. Have you had a chance to do that yet? The HF models have even heavier casters, and maybe heavier drawer slides, than the v.1 models. Which were already impressive. Also 2" more drawer depth.

 

[Rock Crawler]

Rock Crawler, sounds like we may need to do a tarp intervention.

A few posts back you were planning to kick the tires of the RK 72" lower tool cabinet vs. the new HF U.S. General v.2 model to see how they compare in quality. Have you had a chance to do that yet? The HF models have even heavier casters, and maybe heavier drawer slides, than the v.1 models. Which were already impressive. Also 2" more drawer depth.

Honestly, everything about the HF 72" is better. Paint, casters, drawer bearings, drawer latches, and drawer layout.

It's $150 more for the HF one with the coupon, but that's the one im going to go with this winter.

Other than the $150 savings on the RK, the was no other "oh my! " feature that grabbed my attention.

I hate to say it, but the 72" US General Version 2 boxes are the king mac daddy of that $900-$1100 area by a comfortable margin.

 

[def38]

It痴 not really a serious idea because I don稚 want to be back in the retail business but I致e joked about opening a HF. I live in a large small town full of rednecks with no HF for 40 miles. Every time I go in that store in a less redneck area it痴 always busy.

Might want to try a pawn shop.

 

[KubotainNH]

Honestly guys, a year ago we had no RK and no HF. The HF was put into our empty Best Buy building in the Beaver Valley Mall parking lot, and while that was happening.... boom! A newspaper article pops the news that the big empty Sears wing of our mall USA being opened back up as a RK.

I was so excited to know that I was getting both of these stores, right beside each other, 20 minutes away, and in the path of my drive home from work that I didn't sleep well for months as I anxiously waited for the respective grand openings.
......

Yep. I'm a really lucky fellow. I've got a great wife, a great dog, and I've got a RK and a HF now as well. Life is great!

Oh, by the way... I'm doing the back corner of my garage with the foam floor covers. Harbor Freight has them on coupon for $6.99 per 4 pack, RK standard price is $7.99 per 4 pack. Do im buying a pack each day on the way home from work and getting a free tarp. I'm up to 17 tarps on the shelf currently with 5 in use right now.

That's a win for sure. I've eyeballed those mats, keep us posted on how they work out over time.