Blue, Orange, Red, or Green? What is your favorite DIY store?

I'm just curious, which of the DIY stores do you like best, and why? My favorite is Lowes, because of store layout, prices, and the service I get. My most convenient is Ace, and frankly some of them guys know a little more than the Lowes guys, but Lowes stil wins in my book. Ace is a useful second choice, as is the local favorite Ziggy's.

Menards is not here, so I cannot say anything about them. Home Depot is for when Lowes doesn't have what I am looking for. For example, the "Pro" grade Great Stuff can't be bought at Lowes. And of course my 30-NC came from Home Depot in Durango.

And you?

 

Menard's usually has best price, more locations around here. Home Depot is my backup plan. Bomgaars is local, but less merch for more money.

 

Menards is great furthest away, I like Lowe's too, I mostly go to the depot though because it's two miles away

 

I would have to say that the store I frequent most often would be Menards. You can see the lack of quality in a lot of their items though.

I also ordered my 30-nc through the durango store, but it was actually shipped form the factory.

 

Lowes just because I know the layout the best and can usually get whatever I need at a fair price. I hardly ever shop at the Depot and I do occasionally frequent Menards. Local here is True Value that was bought out about 18 months ago and is well stocked now but a little more pricey but the previous owner never had enough. I would get upset every time I went there because if I needed 3 they only had 2 so I still had to go to Lowes.

 

1) Home Hardware (Canadian Company) a 1/2 mile from home
2) Home Depot a few miles away
The rest don't exist in this area.................

 

Menards is in first place by a mile (for me) Great customer service, price, quality, selection, etc. ACE would be second just because it is close, then HD...with sLowes bringing up a distant 4th place...terrible customer service, crap selection, poor quality for the price...not a fan

 

I always kind of felt Lowe's had all the unecessary niceties that Home Depot and Menards avoided to keep the prices low. Like the yuppie version of those stores.

 

Menard's quality is crap anymore...but it is reflected by their prices. I despise Lowe's.

 

Menards is the closest (25 miles), best prices and selection, Home Depot is the second choice and very little further.

 

When I mentioned Menards quality, I should have said for their lumber.

I really stop there a lot.
Sometimes I think that if I don't stop at a Menards, that they'll call me up and ask if everything is alright!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I really like the service at the local ACE and their guys seem to have deeper knowledge of their products, but I don't think they're going to be around much longer, never see a lot of customers there. I have a love/hate relationship w/ Home Depot - sometimes they are great, sometimes they really su*k. Lowes is literally a distant 3rd.

 

This is an interesting thread and I will add that I have to guess a lot of this really depends on the individual store no matter which one it is. Management at the particular store and the employees make a big difference.

 

I suspect as well that a lot depends on the individual store. But it is interesting that Menards generally fairs well when people have them nearby. I have never seen one.

 

I drive a mile past Home Depot to go to Lowe's. I find their customer service is much better, but nearly everybody I know around here thinks Home Depot's is better so go figure.

Menards is 45 minutes away so I've only been there once to check it out. It felt like the Ikea of hardware stores to me.

There's a very tiny hardware store I sometimes go to because their hardware (nuts and bolts) selection is 10x better than the box stores and they sell Porter Paint. Lowe's and Home Depot's "pro" level paint really isn't that good, so I'm more than happy to pay the premium for Porter Paints from them. In the end the costs even out since one coat of Porter normally does the job of 2 coats of Beyer or Valspar and it looks much better.

 

Is Home Hardware similar in concept to Lowes and Home Depot? I would love to have any of them 1/2 mile away. Well, make that a couple of miles. The nearest is Ace at 7 miles, and Lowes and Home Depot at about 14. But another HD and Lowes location are within a couple of miles of work , so that helps.

 

Menards (its closest), then Home Depot for me.

If I need lumber or drywall, I go to the locally owned lumberyard. Having help loading drywall is worth the extra 25 cents or so per sheet. The Menards lumber seems to be best suited for building canoes, and Home Depot doesn't have a drive through lumberyard. I hate loading lumber on a cart, pushing it through the store, then loading it in the truck.

 

Amazon for most stuff.
HD is 2nd choice if I need it quick but it's 25 miles . I usually get by there once a week in my travels .
We have a Value Home Center chain here and small hardware stuff is usually priced better than HD.
I like Lowes tool selection but the nearest is 40 miles.
Convenience and limited free time Make Amazon my #1 goto.
Never even heard of Menards outside of FHC .

 

Lowes is closest (20 minutes) and is frequented almost weekly but I like Home Depot service 10x better, HD is father (40 minutes) so unless on that side of town I rarely go there. Menards is 75-90 minutes the opposite direction but I like there selection and prices much better than Lowes or HD. For big items I'll check online and adds them go where the price is best or get Lowes to price match. Menards just purchased land for 2 stores in town so we will have a better selection hopefully!

 

At least for now, the Eastern-most Menards store is in Eastern Ohio