There are three types of stores I really hate to see go out of business. A hobby store, or course, a independent bookstore, and a real old time hardware store. Today the local hardware store, Shannon's True Value, started its going out of business sale. This store had it all. I could strip a screw, take it with me down to the store, walk in, ask for help, and five minutes later have what I needed. Of course I'd usually find some other goodies that I couldn't live without. I'd judge how hard a job was by how many trips I'd make there to get what I needed. They had a rental department where I'd rent ladders, yard tools, rotor tillers, etc. Heck they even had a shipping department for UPS or FedEx shipments.

Today my wife and I went down to the sale. I've never seen the shop so busy. Two cashiers, about ten people in each line, and I'll bet I've seen every single customer at one time or the other while I went to the store.

The supermarket that anchored the center they were in went out of business, and within a few miles was a Super Wal-Mart, a Lowes, and a Home Depot, all of which sold things for quite a bit less, but no store can ever beat them for customer service, friendliness, and knowledge. I can't imagine how much I'll miss them, come home improvement season next spring.

I really hate to see them go.

The other thing the locals have over Home Cheapo, besides service is choice. We had to replace or shower head a few weeks ago. There were at least 10 hand held units on display! Sorry to hear of your loss of a True Value, they realy do provide what their name indicates.

Yeah, we lost Ben Franklin years ago...the last of the old icons from my childhood where I bought most of all my models from...in my far younger days.

We still have ours. It is "Mac's Ace Hardware." They always have a fresh pot of coffee and a cat by the cash register. I buy as much as I can from them.

Shaun

We still have Worthington Hardware...family owned...and I can walk to it. And they do have everything. Nice to have something like that in the neighborhood. Just as we take our parents and grandparents for granted .... we take places like that for granted until they are no longer there.
The huge corporations in the world are doing their jobs well....they are driving the small business man out of business.

Jeff

There a similar thread here waxing nostaligic about the places of our youth that are no more.

The Ben Franklin store chain no longer exists, though individual stores still exist with that name. I miss the Ben Franklin that used to be in LaGrange Park that closed in 1982 when the owner's children decided not to follow their parents' footsteps.

The True Value chain is still in business, but they had financial problems and several True Value stores have converted into Ace Hardwares. There is a True Value in my town, but it's quite run down and their merchandise isn't hot, though they have good service. I like the Ace Hardware several miles away much better. There is also a Home Depot further on, and I shop there if I need certain items.

I eschew Menards though. I heard bad things about it, such as fraudulent merchandise selling.

The story of the Ben Franklin chain:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Franklin_Stores

I grew up 2 doors down from a neighborhood corner drug store similar to what you see in the movies. "Parkers Drug Store".
Mr Parker was the Pharmacist and Mrs. Parker ran the rest of the store including the soda fountain.
They lived in a beautiful small apartment upstairs above the store.

Long gone.

A very small Japanese-related hobby store just closed in the city. They had lots of Gundams and kits from Japan, but nothing really rare. I never saw anyone really buying them except for some trading cards.

The place was so stocked that there was only a small path to the back door since boxes were stacked on both sides of the wall.

I noticed that they still have their small website. So perhaps they went totally online.

Amen. Our Ace is good for most odd bits you need. Got cat & coffee too. I live in the sticks so the nearest Wallys is 40 miles. I shop there but I hate myself in the morning.