I too like the smaller hometown hardware's as long as they are stocked well. I have one that I frequent in my travels for work that is really nice. The local True Value was awful until about a year ago when it was sold to someone that knows how to stock a hardware. Previously everytime I went for 3 of something I could almost count on them having 2 so I would have to drive to Lowes anyway.
HD ours closed about 5 years ago then the one 5 miles away closed 3 years ago! The 5 miles away reopened about 1 year ago and is reallllly nice then I received a flyer about a month ago that they are going under now too. The next closest is 13 miles away and then everything else is Home Depot, Lowes or Menards stores or nothing. It's a sad situation our area seems to be in lately.
