Sears/Kmart quickly disappearing

[dragoneggs]

Hey, you're talking to an oatmeal cream pie, nutty bar, swiss cake roll fan here.... I'm fond of the sodie pop and cookies, too.

Somehow I think you too are no match for some of the WM babes. When their hips are outside both fenders of the shopping cart at the same time, I know I am in trouble and turn around admitting defeat. :ashamed:

 

[Oaktree]

Locally Lowe's hasn't been able to make headway against Home Depot for some reason.

Contractors prefer Home Depot over Lowes.

Why is that? Better discounts maybe?
I'm glad we have both, right next door to each other in fact. I'm about 50-50 between the two. Often one has something the other doesn't or at least a better selection.
For example I was remodeling my kitchen this year...HD had a better selection of plywood, but Lowe's finish lumber ran circles around the crap HD had.

Dollar general makes their money just like a convinence store. Put one up on every corner in the middle of no where, and people will pay what you're asking.

Don't know enough about big lots. Generally buy at Costco.

Never been in a Costco...I think the nearest one is a good 4 hr drive away. When I was living in southern N.H. I used to have a membership at BJ's (and before that Sam's) that was subsidized by my employer. Still found I rarely got my money's worth out of the annual fee...just me and the wife, not worth it. Don't really need ketchup by the gallon. :laughing: Did like Sam's Membership Mark jeans, BJs didn't carry clothes.

I'd put DG several classes above a convenience store...almost in the league of the small town versions of Grants, Monkey Wards, etc. before they went feet up. Maybe not the best prices (but sometimes yes), but it sure beats a half hour/45 min drive to Walmart.
Haven't been in a Big Lots for years, around here we have Ocean State Job Lot, which is similar. We'll go once a month or so.
Their "disposable" paint brushes are actually pretty good.

 

[downsizingnow48]

In Sacramento the HD vs Lowes contrast is very obvious. The HD parking lots are filled with working pickups with lumber racks and tool boxes and utility bodies. The Lowes parking lots are filled with minivans and gleaming pickups with pristine beds.

 

[ultrarunner]

In Ukiah California a Costco just opened... it was a huge deal and the public is very pleased... they lobbied long and hard. What it means is no longer having to travel distance for many things.

 

[MossRoad]

Somehow I think you too are no match for some of the WM babes. When their hips are outside both fenders of the shopping cart at the same time, I know I am in trouble and turn around admitting defeat. :ashamed:

You know about the correlation between poverty and obesity, right?

 

[Diggin It]

^^ Which I never understood because junk food is more expensive than produce. These days, I get nearly all of my sugar intake from apples, bananas, peaches, cherries and grapes.

 

[aczlan]

I always used the back door to Wally World, through Automotive. There were always parking spaces within fifty feet of the door, and you could pay for all your stuff at automotive on the way out. No lines, no babies, no hassles. Sometimes I would feel better if I pretended I was interested in buying tires or a battery.

As long as you don't need to weigh anything (fruit such as bananas and grapes?), they generally dont have a scale in Automotive (or TLE as they call them). The Garden Center registers generally have scales though.

Aaron Z

 

[EddieWalker]

I try to avoid the Lowes in Tyler, but I was there yesterday and I was surprised at how much Craftsman stuff that they had on sale everywhere. Must be the Christmas thing, but it's really using up a lot of real estate in the tool section and in the isles between the tool area and the other areas, and even the ends of the isles. There really is a lot of it it on display. Some of the deals look decent, but I'm not buying any because I'm nervous about quality.

 

[MossRoad]

As long as you don't need to weigh anything (fruit such as bananas and grapes?), they generally dont have a scale in Automotive (or TLE as they call them). The Garden Center registers generally have scales though.

Aaron Z

Our Walmart garden center registers are closed end of September into April anyway. And ours don't have scales. Made that mistake once. Had to go back to the self check at the main entrance.

 

[MossRoad]

I noticed the Craftsman stuff at our Lowe's last night as well. Right in the center isle as you walked in. I was looking for a garage door opener button, so I passed on inspecting what they actually had.

 

[tjkubota93]

I have thousands of dollars in Craftsman hand tools, but they have changed. Seems like they are a used up orphan in the tool world. I wonder why lowes is bent on making that a flagship?

 

[KubotainNH]

I have a used 3/8" ratchet I need replaced. I think I'll bring it to Lowe's and see what they are willing to replace it with if anything. Come to think of it, I think my son split a deep well socket recently too.

 

[dragoneggs]

I try to avoid the Lowes in Tyler, but I was there yesterday and I was surprised at how much Craftsman stuff that they had on sale everywhere. Must be the Christmas thing, but it's really using up a lot of real estate in the tool section and in the isles between the tool area and the other areas, and even the ends of the isles. There really is a lot of it it on display. Some of the deals look decent, but I'm not buying any because I'm nervous about quality.

My Lowe's is packed to the gills with Craftsman stuff too! Actually kind of amazed at the amount of product they brought in.

 

[Doofy]

Haven't seen the Craftsman tool selection yet but it doesn't much matter at my age. Even a cheap tool will probably last the rest of my life.

In my working years, I purchased quality tools because I made my living with them. No more. My children have no desire to inherit my sizeable collection so, why waste money on quality now?

 

[goeduck]

. My children have no desire to inherit my sizeable collection so, why waste money on quality now?

I do not know the age of your children but sometimes the desire to own things like tools comes a little later in life.

 

[KubotainNH]

My children have no desire to inherit my sizeable collection so, why waste money on quality now?

You could adopt some of us but you are kinda far away.

 

[Doofy]

I do not know the age of your children but sometimes the desire to own things like tools comes a little later in life.

Daughter 36, Son 31. There is hope yet, I guess.

 

[dragoneggs]

I do not know the age of your children but sometimes the desire to own things like tools comes a little later in life.

I'm hoping my son gets there... he is isn't quite settled so I will give him a pass. My wife's son is a little further along and no doubt he will take up the slack when I kick the bucket if the situation doesn't mature by then. I am planning a 50/50 split. I am a bit chauvinistic... as such I am not thinking of sharing those treasures with my daughter although that could change if her boyfriend becomes family. . Then it is 1/3 split. God knows how they will figure it out, because I am not going to.

 

[ultrarunner]

The girls and boys in my family are interested is fixing things...

My niece would asked if I needed any help when she would visit and I saved projects for us... put new wood sides on the box trailer when she was 8 and she drilled all the holes... Christmas came and she wanted her own Milwaukee Drill Driver set and her Mom said OK...

My nephew is just getting the bug... someone gave him a nice Polaris Quad that had been stored and would not run... his Dad was not to happy about it but I said it is an opportunity...

Sure enough he tore into it with You Tube videos going... the fuel tank was half water... the carb was corroded... he found a new OEM carb for $45 online... buttoned it all back and it runs sweet... gave him a lot of confidence.... folks said he can set up a corner or the shop and make it his own...

Just signed up for auto shop this year and the teacher is very well thought of...

 

[MossRoad]

Several times per year, late at night, I'll get a call from my youngest daughter. She'll ask something like, "Dad, do we have a router?" And I say yes. We have three routers. And then I'll hear her yell in the background "HA! I told you he'd have a router. He has three of them!" and I hear the guys groan and "No Way!"

Then she comes back on the phone and tells me "the guys" didn't think you'd have one of those. I ask if they need to borrow one, and they say no, they just were talking about them and they don't know anyone that has one, and I said I bet my dad does and they said no way, so I called you......... :laughing: