guess it pays to be flexible / needed merchandise locally

I have also found that the two stores differ on how they treat a veteran's discount. Home Depot, almost without exception in my experience, gives a 10% discount, even on sale or special pricing items. As an example, this past spring HD had 5 bags of mulch for $10. Excellent price and with my vet discount it was 5 bags for $9. When they ran out of black I went down the road to the Lowe's who had the exact same product and same 5 bags/$10 offering. Lowes would not give me the vet discount since the item was already on sale.

I have registered with Lowes for Vet discount. It automatically appears on register receipt for minus 10%. Can't seem to get anything at Home Depot.

In Pennsylvania you can get a Veteran's ID card from the county after presenting your DD-214 showing service. That card can be used numerous places. In Chester County the list is 8 pages long! Lawyers, tire dealers, etc.

The other alternative is to indicate veteran status when you renew your drivers license. Then a small US flag appears on the license.

I find the blue / orange pricing to be much the same. It often depends on the item you're looking for so I always price major purchases at both.
Home Depot is 1.5 miles from home where as Lowes is almost 30. Most of the time, it's a no brainer where I shop. Lowes is a bigger store though and they often have items that the smaller Home Depot near me doesn't carry.

Blue or orange, in the rural area where I live, I'm grateful to have one of these home stores nearby. When I started building my house in 1979, I had to drive 30 miles for a 2X4.

going on in the fulfillment world.

My last amazon order had 2 of everything in the package.

I continue to go to the orange store even though it's further.

This is why it's very important to build loyalty, people will act irrationally and follow habits, that's about all that is guaranteed in life!

I do blue much more often than orange, mainly because blue is closer to me. Blue gives a 5% discount to its credit card holders; orange used to match that on their credit card when requested because blue did, but no longer does.

But often if I'm sure they'll have what I need (their inventory is much smaller), I'll just go to the even-closer Great Ace or the mom-n-pop hardware store near us. Even if the prices are slightly higher, it's worth it to get in and out faster.

While I use the two big boxes for most things, for fasteners I greatly prefer the local True Value. This one has them in a couple of aisles of small drawers--bare. You can get your hands on the exact thing you want to buy, and get just the number you want--no plastic pre-pack. The price is not at all low, but when I want to see the screw and check that it fits, I like it a lot. Further, they have quite a large selection.

For evaporative coolers parts I usually go to Samon's. It is a chain, but a small local one.

Choose the store for the need.

to the orange store for a triple order--2 were online to store, 1 was online for store pickup. I emailed my buddy, everything was perfect, they brought all 3 to curbside.

My buddy responded, it's sad that today that's even noteworthy--they they were able to handle 3 orders, and bring them to your car without any mistakes, that's a big deal?

I said true, but what I'm used to is health care type of customer service, riddled with mistakes and not caring.

p.s. I googled Samon's and it looks like a cool store! We don't have any such place....

I had the same thing happen.