We’re noodling at the idea of a replacement door and screen between the hall and the living room and today got to the desperate point of motoring over to the local Travesty & Picknose. The young man there, not as polite and helpful as he might have been, told us they don’t make doors like that any more.
Graham was somewhat downcast.
“Don’t let ‘em get to ya, chicken,” I said. ”They’re useless as always. Even their concrete is almost on its sell-by date. I bet Jewson’s do them there single-pane doors and, if not, you’ll be able to find ‘em on eBay.”
He stood there poring over the catalogue, mumbling, and I soon lost my grip and wandered off to look at the crumpled, rumpled old masonry walls of the surrounding buildings. Utrillo would have appreciated their air of melancholy dissolution, glowing softly in the diffuse sunlight.
Home, and I made him a nice cup of tea and sent him off to phone Jewson’s, where he spoke to a helpful young man who assured him that they could supply what we need, no problem, and at a price we can afford. For some reason doors and windows still command premium prices.
We’ll pop in on our shopping trip on Monday to place our order.
The rest of the day has been quiet and exceedingly pleasant, working under hazy sun in temperatures that are closer to summer than to spring. There will be one more light frost some time in the next week and then I can get down to starting my mini-veggie patch. Looking forward to that, I am.
It amazes me how snobby places manage to exist. Don’t they realize that service is the name of the game now? There is a small hardware store nearby that, if they don’t have an item, and you can’t wait until they order it, will suggest places where you can get it. Well worth paying a tiny bit more for the bits and bobs I do buy.
Small shopkeepers know the way to keep customers coming,- cheerful and timely service! The ‘big box’ stores will find out the hard way, I guess, although there seem to be enough silly shoppers to keep them going for a while yet. I rely on small shopkeepers for nearly everything I buy here.
Kim’s Club, the Korean version of Sam’s Club, just lost my custom last night for the one item not to be found in the little shops. I’ll do without before I’ll go in there again. Officious and obnoxious clerks are a commodity up with which I will not put.
No idea in the world where to find a small shopkeeper around here. People complain about the big box stores but what is one to do?
Oh, goodness what a name. I can just see the business and would take my business to Jewsons. Did you get pictures of the walls?
“a replacement door and screen between the hall and the living room”…
OK – I have to ask. Exactly what kind of a door/screen are you looking for? I mean – is it a door from the outside, entering the house?
Because it seems like you’re saying you need a door and screen from an indoor hallway into the living room.
Hey – It’s the end of my week and I just got home from work…these things trip me up!
I hate the big box stores. Ace hardware may be a little pricier, but when I walk into home depot (aka The $300 store, because I never seem to be able to get out of there without spending that much) the men in orange vests seem to run in all directions but toward me. Like cockroaches when you turn the lights on! At Ace there are always knowlegeable, friendly service people who go out of their way to help me. Even in these tough economic times, I will pay a premium to go someplace where I can walk in with a widget from my dishwasher, hold it up with a look of utter confusion, and there are three guys who all know precisely what it is, exactly what it does, and the least expensive and easiest way to replace it. THAT is what I consider more bang for my (hard-earned) buck!
“Travesty and Picknose”
How wonderful. I had to think for a moment but I worked it out.
You do have a way with words, John.
In general, I much prefer to deal with local merchants if possible. We have a genuine old-fashioned hardware store, one of those places crammed full of nails and hammers and door knobs and nuts and bolts and screws and tools and odds and ends of all types — and the staff knows exactly where to put their hands on everything. We also have a lumber company that also carries tools and hardware and also does things like manufacture doors on a custom order basis.
However, I will say this about Home Depot — although two or three years ago I posted an entry that was an extended rant against them — I do believe that they have changed in terms of customer service. I don’t know if it is in response to complaints or if it is because they finally got rid of the arrogant CEO who was rewarding himself with millions of dollars while running the business into the ground (or maybe the change is only in their North Kingstown store).