On Wed, 31 Mar 2021 10:54:08 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

On 3/31/2021 10:43 AM, Unquestionably Confused wrote:

Just happened to notice the other day, for the second time in
approximately 5 years that we've "lost" a Woodcraft store in Northern
Illinois.

In the Houston area Woodcraft stores move locations with regularity.
Perhaps....


Have others across the country seen a decline in brick and mortar
woodworking stores in their area?* Not limiting this to Woodcraft stores.

In the past 10 years I have seen our wood working stores double in
number, Woodcraft and Rockler.



I'd never seen much traffic at that stores location which, to me at
least, seemed like a bad one.* Pretty much a dead shopping center,
hidden back in the corner, not a lot of traffic.* The former location, a
bit south on a busier highway had much higher traffic and visibility in
a fully occupied strip mall.

Location, Location, Location. Probably why Woodcraft stores move. One
of our oldest Woodcraft stores moves every 10 years on average. I have
know it to be in 4 different locations.



Then again, with online sales going the way they have been, I'd hate to
be a brick and mortar store for anything but maybe clothing and
perishables, groceries.

Location, Location, Location.... The closest woodcraft store has been
very busy.

Think about it.* You read or hear of a tool, you can all but touch it
via a YouTube video and see it put through its paces better than
handling it in the store.* Then, if you want it, you can scout out the
best price (damn near always cheaper than in the store) and have it in a
day or two.

That works for the home do it your self line of tools. The price
remains the same for SawStop, Festool, and a few other brands that
escape me. On line or in the store the price is the same.

Not that it's policy or that it doesn't happen but I haven't seen
lower prices on Laguna, Powermatic, or Jet than the brick and mortar
stores. Sometimes one will have a factory sale that other stores don't
have and sometimes shipping is included but the normal price is the
same. Hand tools are all over the place.