Hardware Stores

I agree with you completely. It is nearly impossible to walk into a "hardware store" and get any real help.
I hate having to go there and explain exactly what it is that I'm looking for, including sometimes describing the actual item. Sometimes I feel like they're playing "customer ping-pong," sending me to one department, then to another, back to the first one, again to the other, and so forth.
Being able to just say what I want to do, and have them give me different suggestions as to how to do it and what I need to do it with would be awesome.
However, I'm in the same situation as you, after living in this area for 5 years, I don't know of any of the true hardware stores anywhere close to me.
I hope someone agrees with us and helps us with this project.

Jon and I are having a meeting today to discuss all the ideas that we have not had time to implement yet and this has been added to the list.

Great idea by the way.

Miss POI

If I need help I usually look for my nearby Ace. It is a hardware chain, smaller then Lowe's, Home Depot or Menard's. Most if not all are individually owned and full of people who not only willing to help, but actually can. Same thing with True Value Hardware, but more and more are disappearing thanks to the over-sized, often cheaper competition.

True Value in Our area are Pretty good Hardware stores. We Have a few Real good ones in our county. There are a Lot of Farmers around here that keep them in business.

Yep...we have two good ones nearby....

one is an ACE
and the other is family owned...been around forever, as have many who work there.

If anyone decides to create this POI, be sure to include Hardware Sales in Bellingham, WA. It's wonderful! For example,

Home page: http://www.hardwaresales.net/
Hand tools: http://www.hardwaresales.net/hs-handtools2.htm
Fasteners: http://www.hardwaresales.net/hs-fasteners2.htm

I can happily report that E.R. Porter Hardware, Dothan, AL was started in 1889 and is still very much in operation today. A google search for Porter Hardware, Dothan, AL will bring up some interesting reading. It is physically located at 136 E. Main St., Dothan, AL 36301-1722, (334) 792-3158. Coordinates are: 31.223469,-85.391580.

The saying around here is: "If you can't find it at Porter's, it can't be found".

Curt

Here is the Ace Hardware in the suberb where I live. They are much more helpful than the big box stores.

Westlake Ace Hardware
708 S Aspen Ave, Broken Arrow, OK‎ - (918) 258-1261‎
(36.04567249513543, -95.8167028427124)

I am lucky to have S&W Pro Hardware that opened in '58. This is not a chain store run by local teenagers.

As one reviewer put it "This is what my dad calls a REAL hardware store, where they not only have the part you're looking for, but can teach you how to install it. Plus they do a lot of handyman stuff, like replace screens and replace the innards of toilets if you bring them the tank. I have always found them to be extremely helpful and I start here before I go anywhere else."

S & W Pro Hardware
(734) 453-1290
875 Ann Arbor Rd W, Plymouth, MI 48170

42.3587177, -83.4705052
42.3587177 -83.4705052
N42° 21.5231', W083° 28.2303'

The parking lot is the SW corner of the intersection of Ann Arbor Rd. and Morton Taylor.