"Threeducks" wrote in message

I've yet to get any better "service" at a mom and pop store. Instead
you get less selection, same or less knowledge and crummy returns
policy. There is a Home Depot two blocks from my house.

Sorry to h ear that. Not every mom & pop can be forst class, but many are.


I have
returned tons of stuff. Once I was there and the guy in front of me
returned half a deck worth of lumber, no questions asked.

And we all pay for that. Many people buy and return tools because they are
too cheap to rent them.

I have used
tools and have been able to return them simply because I didn't like how
they worked.

A common experience. If you find a good independant store you won't be
returning tools. They will carry the better brands that will get the job
done the right way. HD and Lowes carry mid line and lower brands. If you
lived near Coastal Tool www.coastaltool.com or a similar store you'd get
the brands professionals use, good advice, and the supplies that go with
them. Most big cities have a similar store.


The HD near my house was built on a lot full of garbage. As part of the
deal, they cleaned up all the gabage, capped the dump and built a park
on half the land (to the tune of a couple million dollars) with the
store on the other half.

The publicity is good for them. It may be the only way to get into some
areas because others don't have the capital to do something like that. The
town thinks they got a good deal when what they really got is another giant
retailer. We all pay for it too.