Anyone else feel this way?

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td-Lb5NeFZo[/ame]

absolutely:banana:

Only every time I go to a box store. Twenty years ago when I worked at a local box store they actually hired retired contractors and people that knew stuff. Now they just want to fill a void.

True story ... I got to know a middle aged woman who was working at HD on a "nice to see ya" basis. One day, I was buying plumbing parts and started talking to her. She asked me about plumbing basics and I was glad to teach. She clearly did not know a faucet from a toilet flapper. Then she dropped the news: "I'm getting a promotion!"

"Oh good for you!" I said, "What will you be doing?"

"I'm going to be Assistant Manager in Plumbing," she proudly said.

You know what my internal conversation sounded like ...

I don't know about Home Depot, or if Lowes still does things the same, but some 15 years ago while I was between real jobs I worked at Lowes for a while. At that time the store I worked at tried to match employees to departments where they had some knowledge and required periodic training pertaining to their assigned department.

These days I shop at Lowes a fair amount and have found some employees who were quite knowledgeable as well as some that were completely clueless. But it's that way most places.

We all give the big box stores a bad time,but they are convenient, they have most everything we are looking for and we can walk around and find things we are looking for as apposed to standing at the counter of a specialty store, saying I need the thingy that screws into the whatsit. They do hire experience when they can but they also give newbes a chance too. I find that they are always willing to find someone that can answer the question and really that is all we can ask. I had one guy draw a map to a specialty store as they would have the answer.
You do want to be carefull if you get in the habit of buying everything there, there are some very over priced items mixed in for those who don't pay attention

I do volunteer work in Appalachia with a group called Appalachia Service Project repairing homes to make them "warmer, safer, drier." One of the towns we work in is Jonesville, VA in the far southwestern corner of the state. Nearest Lowes is an hour away in Tennessee. There is a great hardware store/lumber yard in Jonesville that treats ASP very well. Main complaint coming from a place with multiple Lowe's and Home Depot stores within a 10 mile drive is their hours. The local guy closes at 5pm weekdays, and noon on Saturdays. The 5pm isn't bad but noon on Saturday is a challenge.

Lowe's here seems to have more knowledgeable staff than Home Depot. HD went down hill about 10 years ago when they went to almost all part time employees and got rid of the guys who knew the trades. It is also easier in our Lowe's to find help when you need it, and if no one is around the little call buttons located around the store work pretty well.

About 12 years ago a friend and I built a screen porch for someone. We were in Home Depot for 2 hours pulling stuff and filled up several carts and flat beds getting supplies. No one ever asked us if we needed assistance.

For pressure treated wood we have a local treating company that is pretty competitive with the big boxes that I prefer to use. For specialty lumber (trim, hardwoods, hardwood plywood, etc) I like Capitol City Lumber in Raleigh or Stock Supply in Apex. For bushes and trees I like Gardener's Supply in Cary. That said, Lowe's gets a fair amount of my business.

Thank you for your service sparky!:trophy:

Sometimes you get lucky enough to talk to the right person. And sometimes, if you start to explain what you're looking for, they get a good idea for you. Other times, it's just worth it to wander around till you find what you want.

Thinking about the plumbing asst mgr - if all she has to do is keep inventory and schedule her people, why not? I'm pretty sure the parts on hand are not her choice.

oldognewtrick said:

Thank you for your service sparky!:trophy:

Click to expand...

Thanks, you're kind of local you ought to come out and give it a try. We're heading up for a long weekend the end of April/first weekend in May.

Here is their Facebook page. You can see some of my handiwork in the photo albums for "ihouse" and "I-house" and "The Hop." On I-house we dug out part of the lower level and built a retaining wall, our second trip we worked on the exterior. At the hop we installed laminate flooring, painted two of the bedrooms and installed vinyl siding.

https://www.facebook.com/ASPJonesville?ref=br_tf

This is definitely not "This Old House" restorations. The goal is to make the homes warmer, safer, drier. Not put them on the cover of "Country Living" "Fine Homebuilding" or "Good Housekeeping."