The Joy of a Local Hardware Store

Let me describe two experiences:

I walk into a big box home improvement store and ask for advice about screens for storm windows that were popular in Wellesley, Massachusetts in the 1960's. No one has any idea what I'm talking about. Not just about my storm windows, but any storm windows. The store is 40 aisles of 20 foot high racks without an easy to navigate map. Oddly, screens are not in the Windows section, they're in the Building Materials area. No one knows what tools I need or how much screen I should purchase, so I make several trips back and forth from home to store. I spend hours in the process and throw away an entire roll of screen I've wasted.

I walk into my neighborhood hardware store. A cheerful, experienced salesperson greets me at the door and asks to help with my project. The person instantly knows the type of windows I have, the tools needed, the best materials, and a few tips to get the job done right. The person wanders around the 5000 square foot store, picks up all the materials I need and rings me up. I spend minutes in the process, do the job perfectly the first time, and have no waste.

Just as I have extolled the virtues of embracing locavore food culture and community supported agriculture, I suggest supporting your local hardware store - let's take back the neighborhood from the big box stores.

Life is short and I really care about the quality of my day to day experiences. I want to shop locally from farmers, craftsmen, vendors, and salespeople that I know. I realize that in our complex world that is not always possible. If you have a choice of buying a bolt for fifty cents from a helpful, knowledgeable shopkeeper OR buying a bolt of lesser quality for forty cents that takes an hour to find a big box store, I suggest that you and your wallet shop locally.

I'm so impressed with Green's Hardware in Wellesley, that I actually seek out home projects to do on weekends, just so that I can enjoy the experience of getting sound advice and quality products from people who teach me how to maintain my home. My house was built in the 1930's but every part of it - from electrical to plumbing to carpentry - is perfectly maintained thanks to the partnership I've developed with Green's, my local hardware store.

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