“I needed some electrical boxes (the plastic blue ones that go inside the walls) and there were NONE at lowes.”
Lowes has been just awful for several years when it comes to the availability of electrical supplies. I was blaming the situation on my local store and whoever there was in charge of managing that product line until I went to one in different town and found the same thing. Home Depot is better stocked from what I have seen but if you really need something go to a real electrical supply house, most will sell retail.
Lowes and Home Depot both SU&K.
It is really a shame that the local hardware and lumber yards have gone out of business or bought up by the national chains like Builders First Source.
I am lucky because I still have LOCALLY owned hardware and lumber yards in my area. I try to give them all my business if possible. The actually have employees that know what they are doing too. People that have been there more than 2 months.