Everything at Ace Hardware is ludicrously over priced, especially when I can order the same stuff from Amazon and have it next day or second day dropped at my doorstep for half the price. And they stock crazy stuff that nobody in town is going to buy, like a $700 Green Egg grill.
I cannot agree more. In fact, IMHO, many hardware and auto supply chains today are only geared to/focused on the wealthy.
Two cases in point.
One: In our 'capital' city, there were two hardware stores, literally side by side on a main street. I used to sit on a bench across the road, eating my lunch, and watched people walking in and out of both stores. Most often, people walked into the smaller family owned business and walked out carrying something. Many people walked into the 'local chain' and sometimes came out with something, or if empty handed, they turned right and walked into the smaller store and came out with something. I was looking for a hard to find 'temp controller' for an older electric skillet. The chain store did not have it. When I walked into the smaller store, I described to the owner's son just what I was looking for. He said, "Dad, where are skillet controls?" and his dad pointed, the son climbed a ladder, and I walked out with my needed item. After that, when I was in the area, I went to the smaller store first. Unfortunately, when the owner, retired, could not find a local buyer, and ended up selling out to the chain next door. They cut a hole in the wall and absorbed the former hardware store's space. (Black painted storefront sign)
Two: Down near where my cousin lives, there was another long time local family owned hardware store. Just recently my cousin told me that it had sold out to a chain. Last week he called me and was really disappointed. He said that he had run into a long time employee of the store, who had recently been let go. That person reported that the new chain owner had contracted with some firm to come in and 'clear all current inventory' and erect/set up shelving and displays for the 'chain store inventory'. They reported that all former inventory was sold to some conglomerate that dispenses with old/odd inventory. The old hardware store was another local treasure trove where you could go and buy anything and everything. My cousin never left the store without what he was looking for, and often times, he came out with other items as well. The new 'local chain' has a similar store near me. I have gone there only a few times and more often than not they either did not have the item that I was looking for, or if they did, they had only 1-2-3 of the items I needed, but said, "We can order more of that and have it here by xxxday!" I would always reply, "I can go to AMAZON and do the same thing for less money and walked out. It turns out, the hardware chain policy is to "stock 2 or 4 of an item" and when the qty on hand drops below a certain number, reorder. So, if you have one of an item and you need one or more to finish a job, probably you will end up either waiting, visiting multiple stores, or ordering from AMAZON.
Do not get me going on product packaging.
. I am glad they honored the 11.99. I went to my local ACE because I did not feel like driving further to a Lowes. Not sure if it would have been a lot cheaper.
