Yeah, they're only going to stock what sells.Op- sorry for derailing your thread.
@eyoungren there’s a few here & one just happens to be Right in my neighborhood so a real-life neighborhood hardware store. The team that works there, has worked there for as long as I can remember, they know exactly where everything is at, and like Samons are very handy, knowledgeable and experienced service people. Also, without sounding like a nationalist weirdo, I have noticed that they source an abnormally large amount of American made tools, cast and molded parts etc. more than big box stores anyways which is awesome.
FYI, that 5/8 bore pulley I bought yesterday, was American made, cast right here in Chicago Illinois. It was $10 cheaper and frankly better than the POS Chinese pulleys the big box stores were selling on their website. Seriously, the Walmarts of home improvement
I hate rural, I've always hated it and I will continue to hate it for all the problems it caused me as a teen in the middle of nowhere. However, one thing it did teach me, courtesy of my dad, was that local hardware stores, local feed stores, local lumber stores, etc were and are better than the big boxes. These places survive because they know their customers and sell what their customers need and want versus what the franchise is telling them to sell. And they also know that if they rip off the locals or provide garbage quality they won't be in business very long.
So, you're experience parallels mine in that sense.
