Keith Williams wrote in
T:

In article , postmaster@
127.0.0.1 says...
Keith Williams wrote in
T:

In article , postmaster@
127.0.0.1 says...
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in
news:Ld1Jg.2162$aQ4.1459@trndny06:


"Not@home" wrote in message
I'm unhappy, because a few years ago we had two hardware stores
near us, either of which would have provided good advice, but
Home Depot has driven them out of business.

How did Home Depot put them out of business?

Did they block the entrance so customers could not get in?
No Did they sue the owners and force them out?


No Did the bribe town officials to condemn the store?


No. Did they have the utilities cut and leave them in the
dark?
No

People just like you and I put them out of business. We stopped
going there. We had a choice and we decided it was more
important to save a few pennies than to go to the local store
for our needs. We decided that HD had a better selection so we
went there instead of the local store.

We complain that things cost too much so stores like Home Depot
find cheaper sources in places like China and we buy them. Then
we are happy with the price, but complain because we lost our
manufacturing jobs to other countries. Instead of spending the
weekend at home enjoying friends and family, we go to the mall
and buy cheap stuff from overseas.

Pogo said: "we have met the enemy and it is us". That was over
45 years ago and still true today.




Well said facts Edwin.

Back in VT there was a hardware store that one day began a
"closing the doors" clearance. Had been there a long time. HD
moved in like 6-12 mos before. Was talking to they owner who I
knew personnally. Basically said the same as you just did. One
comment that stuck was that when people want a few loose
nuts/bolts/washers they come by hoping to only have to spend a
nickel or two and not have to drive 5mi. When they need a hedge
trimmer they run to HD and Wally World.

Which store? The ACE (I think it was) in EJ never did have
anything to sell. They had no stock *years* before HomeDespot knew
VT existed. Several others were the same. Good riddance! OTOH,
there is a decent HW store on the other side of Burlington that's
expanded and a new ACE in S. Burlington opened about 1Mi. from the
HomeDespot.

No, some stores have no idea how to compete. They don't *DESERVE*
my patronage (come on Lowes!).


Yea, Gabby's in the junction. I tend to agree with you on stock. But
I was not thrilled when Flander's closed.

Flanders got pretty bad in its last years too. They didn't have
all sizes of dimensional PT and left what they had laying in the
mud. They also copped an attitude with DIYers. I ended up going
there only for molding and such.



What I REALLY miss is the sliders, chili dogs and fries at Al's :-(
There is no second source for that.