Ok, so I'm North of Denver on business this week and have a few hours
to kill before my flight home. My coworker and I decide to drive to
Boulder. We heard it was picturesque and needed to grab some lunch
anyway.

Just driving around looking for city center. Get into an area that
looks interesting, and turn into the first big lot to park and then
walk around. Get out of the car, turn around and see:

McGuckin's Hardwa World's biggest hardware selection.

The man-dar hits again! The place was pretty awesome. Like an old
time hardware store on Steroids. Could've killed the whole day there.
They probably had as much woodworking stuff as Woodcraft (OK, I know
that's not setting the bar real high...), plus tons of other tools and
all the plumbing, electrical, hardware, etc. you could want. Not real
heavy on power tools, but hand tools galore.

Couple of examples: They probably had 200 hammers, including the good
stuff, like Vaughan (sp?). You know how you go into the Borg after
some heat shrink tubing and they have a little pack of assorted size 6
inch pieces, all black. McGuckin's had probably 15 colors, each in a
bunch of sizes and lengths. I saw a bunch of Veritas stuff, Japanese
saws, and on and on. The most amazing thing to me, was the number of
people working there. It seemed like there must have been a hundred!
I'll bet 20 people asked me if they could help me find something in
the hour I was able to spend there.

Stop in if you get to Boulder.

Here's the web site, but it doesn't come close to doing the store
justice.

http://www.mcguckin.com/

Maybe this is old news to this group, but thought I'd pass it on.

Paul F.

I wakled into an Ace hardware store in Fort Myers, Fl. There was a "greeter"
there to ask me if I needed help finding something. I told him what I needed
and he went with me to make sure I found it. I said thank you. He walked
away and went back to the front to help the next customer. Not at all like
the BORG.

Ed Ahern
"Paul Franklin" wrote in message
...
Ok, so I'm North of Denver on business this week and have a few hours
to kill before my flight home. My coworker and I decide to drive to
Boulder. We heard it was picturesque and needed to grab some lunch
anyway.

Just driving around looking for city center. Get into an area that
looks interesting, and turn into the first big lot to park and then
walk around. Get out of the car, turn around and see:

McGuckin's Hardwa World's biggest hardware selection.

The man-dar hits again! The place was pretty awesome. Like an old
time hardware store on Steroids. Could've killed the whole day there.
They probably had as much woodworking stuff as Woodcraft (OK, I know
that's not setting the bar real high...), plus tons of other tools and
all the plumbing, electrical, hardware, etc. you could want. Not real
heavy on power tools, but hand tools galore.

Couple of examples: They probably had 200 hammers, including the good
stuff, like Vaughan (sp?). You know how you go into the Borg after
some heat shrink tubing and they have a little pack of assorted size 6
inch pieces, all black. McGuckin's had probably 15 colors, each in a
bunch of sizes and lengths. I saw a bunch of Veritas stuff, Japanese
saws, and on and on. The most amazing thing to me, was the number of
people working there. It seemed like there must have been a hundred!
I'll bet 20 people asked me if they could help me find something in
the hour I was able to spend there.

Stop in if you get to Boulder.

Here's the web site, but it doesn't come close to doing the store
justice.

http://www.mcguckin.com/

Maybe this is old news to this group, but thought I'd pass it on.

Paul F.

You would have liked the old store even more. They always had an
extremely eclectic array of goods, but they never repriced old
stock. If you went in for a sledge hammer, locals knew to dig to
the back to see if any had older price tags.

Do they still have the kegs of horseshoes?

--
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"Paul Franklin" wrote in message
...
Ok, so I'm North of Denver on business this week and have a few
hours
to kill before my flight home. My coworker and I decide to
drive to
Boulder. We heard it was picturesque and needed to grab some
lunch
anyway.

Just driving around looking for city center. Get into an area
that
looks interesting, and turn into the first big lot to park and
then
walk around. Get out of the car, turn around and see:

McGuckin's Hardwa World's biggest hardware selection.

The man-dar hits again! The place was pretty awesome. Like an
old
time hardware store on Steroids. Could've killed the whole day
there.
They probably had as much woodworking stuff as Woodcraft (OK, I
know
that's not setting the bar real high...), plus tons of other
tools and
all the plumbing, electrical, hardware, etc. you could want. Not
real
heavy on power tools, but hand tools galore.

Couple of examples: They probably had 200 hammers, including the
good
stuff, like Vaughan (sp?). You know how you go into the Borg
after
some heat shrink tubing and they have a little pack of assorted
size 6
inch pieces, all black. McGuckin's had probably 15 colors, each
in a
bunch of sizes and lengths. I saw a bunch of Veritas stuff,
Japanese
saws, and on and on. The most amazing thing to me, was the
number of
people working there. It seemed like there must have been a
hundred!
I'll bet 20 people asked me if they could help me find something
in
the hour I was able to spend there.

Stop in if you get to Boulder.

Here's the web site, but it doesn't come close to doing the
store
justice.

http://www.mcguckin.com/

Maybe this is old news to this group, but thought I'd pass it
on.

Paul F.

On May 27, 11:39 am, "Ed Ahern" wrote:
I wakled into an Ace hardware store in Fort Myers, Fl. There was a "greeter"
there to ask me if I needed help finding something. I told him what I needed
and he went with me to make sure I found it. I said thank you. He walked
away and went back to the front to help the next customer. Not at all like
the BORG.

This thread doesn't qualify as a love fest yet but I would like to
add : Jerry's in Eugene, OR. It's a big independent home center but
nothing like I have ever experienced at any Borg. Unbeliveably
helpful and KNOWLEDGEABLE people.

Stop in if you get to Boulder.

Here's the web site, but it doesn't come close to doing the store
justice.

http://www.mcguckin.com/

Maybe this is old news to this group, but thought I'd pass it on.

Paul F.

If you are in the Kansas City area, check Strauser's Hardware (spelling
may be wrong), located on the SW Boulevard. Probably not as cool at
McGuckin Hardware, but very terrific nonetheless.

Rick

On Sun, 27 May 2007 11:51:23 -0500, "DanG" wrote:

You would have liked the old store even more. They always had an
extremely eclectic array of goods, but they never repriced old
stock. If you went in for a sledge hammer, locals knew to dig to
the back to see if any had older price tags.

Do they still have the kegs of horseshoes?

Didn't see them, but it wouldn't surprise me if they were there
somewhere. I saw the pet/livestock section but didn't get to check
it out. Wish I would have had more time....

Thanks to the other posters for their favorites...I travel a fair bit,
so I'm keeping a list.

Paul F.

Paul Franklin wrote:

On Sun, 27 May 2007 11:51:23 -0500, "DanG" wrote:

You would have liked the old store even more. They always had an
extremely eclectic array of goods, but they never repriced old
stock. If you went in for a sledge hammer, locals knew to dig to
the back to see if any had older price tags.

Do they still have the kegs of horseshoes?

Didn't see them, but it wouldn't surprise me if they were there
somewhere. I saw the pet/livestock section but didn't get to check
it out. Wish I would have had more time....

Thanks to the other posters for their favorites...I travel a fair bit,
so I'm keeping a list.

Paul F.


Wink's in Portland, OR - http://www.winkshardware.com/

Falk Ace Hardware in Beaverton, OR

Hardwicks in Seattle, WA http://www.ehardwicks.com/

I have dropped hundreds of dollars in all three and highly recommend
them. My first choice is Hardwicks, but I don't get to Seattle often
enough so I have not spent as much there.

"Mike in Arkansas" wrote in message
oups.com...
On May 27, 11:39 am, "Ed Ahern" wrote:
I wakled into an Ace hardware store in Fort Myers, Fl. There was a
"greeter"
there to ask me if I needed help finding something. I told him what I
needed
and he went with me to make sure I found it. I said thank you. He walked
away and went back to the front to help the next customer. Not at all
like
the BORG.

This thread doesn't qualify as a love fest yet but I would like to
add : Jerry's in Eugene, OR. It's a big independent home center but
nothing like I have ever experienced at any Borg. Unbeliveably
helpful and KNOWLEDGEABLE people.

And also in Oregon, Robnett's in Corvallis.
Kerry