Hello All! I'm retired from my previous career ...

[smokintoad]

...and thought being a stocker at a big box store would help keep me busy. Long story short, I was asked "How do you feel about plumbing?" So here I am trying to learn enough to be helpful... always telling folks I don't know enough to trusted. It is nice to have returning guests thank me for coming up with the right fittings and parts.
I always say "You can gamble on whether you're coming right back for more parts, or take these extra ones and hopefully not be back until you feel like returning them."

 

[Twowaxhack]

Orange or blue ?

 

[havasu]

With the many experts here, you will begin picking up tips and pointers immediately. Welcome to the forum!

 

[smokintoad]

Orange or blue ?

Neither

 

[Geofd]

Glad you found us, there are a lot of knowledgable people here

 

[Rickyman]

Neither

Fleet Farm or Menards?

 

[Bird Doo Head]

always telling folks I don't know enough to trusted. ~
I always say "You can gamble on whether you're coming right back for more parts, or take these extra ones and hopefully not be back until you feel like returning them."

Wow! An honest associate at a big box store. (And one who actually waits on people.) Yay for Smokintoad!
Paul

 

[Riickk]

Gotta agree with Bird Doo Head. We lost our excellent Hardware store, Owner closed the little place stocked with 100-thousand items, and opened two LARGE stores, each stocked with 10-thousand items; the new help don't know Dog Poo from Shinola. "Progress"

 

[Twowaxhack]

I like going to random hardware stores to grab faucet stems or plumbing stuffs and the old guy try’s to teach me things about plumbing. Hilarious but I always listen and I’m polite to what’s sometimes good info but most of the time it’s crap

 

[smokintoad]

@Rickyman I always liked shopping at both Fleet Farm and Menards (where I am).

 

[Bird Doo Head]

The Big Box stores come in like PacMan and gobble up the mom and pop stores- only it's not a cute video cartoon.

Same with grocery and however many kinds of stores that walmart destroys. Mom & Pop can't get the same low product price, lower insurance, lower work-comp and even lower (negotiated) utility rates that giant corporations get.

All but one Mom & Pop hardware around here are gone. The 91 year old, same family owned one that remains has just about everything- especially service. Walk in & head for the counter in the center of the store. Usually before you get there, someone is helping you. If not, the counter always has people. The prices are higher than big box, but I can get in and get out quickly. And, I can often buy one as opposed to a box of... (Backer rod by the foot, not the package. Nails & Screws by the each or the box. Stuff like that.)