[rollei_list] Re: OT: Walmart
- From: "Richard Knoppow" <dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:31:52 -0700
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Williams" <dwilli10@xxxxxxx>
To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 8:18 PM
Subject: [rollei_list] Re: OT: Walmart
At 08:37 PM 7/26/2010, James wrote, in part:
I don't know what will happen to the photography business.
I have
noticed that hardware stores seem to have no problem
competing with
the big box stores (although there will probably be less
of them)
except that, many have been shooting themselves in the
foot by being
only Ace or TruValue. They don't have the selection and
they have a
lot of private label merchandise -- they are in danger of
becoming
mini-big box stores.
I had some interesting experiences both while still in San
Diego and
here in Moore-
I had been avoiding Ace and such because I was pretty sure
they
couldn't compete with Home Depot and Lowes. As it turns
out, I did
go there a few times and even the smaller stores had just
about as
many different items as the big box stores, and not only
that, they
would help you find something and tell you important
issues you
should consider.
Topping all that, their prices were right in line with
Home Depot, etc.
I say good for them.
When my very first home was being built in San Diego in
1958, the
only hardware stores were A&A, something like ACE, and the
larger
lumber stores- where you bought fence panels and fence
posts. Everything else came from a small independent or
franchise. In those days you didn't get a fence,
sprinkler, or top
soil. The whole street smelled like cow manure, which was
the
fertilizer of the day.
Finally FedMart came in and they had a nice selection of
builders
hardware- I think FedMart morphed in to Price Club and
eventually to
CostCo, converting Price to a real-estate business.
DAW
I have had an increasingly difficult time of it getting
specialty hardware parts locally despite the continued
existence of some decent small hardware stores. At least the
know what I am asking about even if they don't have it. I
recently discovered I needed set of Bristol keys and
drivers, I had to get them via the web. No one locally has
carried them for years. However, they are still made and
pretty widely used. Odd sized screws and nuts are another
problem. I found a place in the SF valley that had No.3 and
No.5 screws and nuts. Why these odd sizes, I was restoring
some old Western Electric equipment and they were fond of
strange hardware. Everything I want seems to be discontinued
or, in one place, they told me they had stocked what I
wanted for years, no one had bought any and they had just
recently tossed it. Ugh!!!
In one popular store I found the very young clerks
didn't know what _varnish_ was.
--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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