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We have a great hardware store in town, and a Wal-Mart Super Store. I still go to the mom-n-pop shop, but only for certain items. They both carry Ames yard tools, but the mom-n-pop charges nearly twice as much for exactly the same item. So the tools get bought at WM, and seeds etc. get bought at the local store. It's a balance.

"They both carry Ames yard tools, but the mom-n-pop charges nearly twice as much for exactly the same item"

And there you have it. In the same building where I have my offices there is a copy center/stationery store. The woman there whines constantly about the others in the building not patronizing her store....ruining local business.

Seems they're going 12 miles into town to Staples. She was whining to me the other day about this. I told her that I was in business, too, and that I could not afford to pay twice as much for copier paper in her store as at Staples. I could not afford to pay $2.79 for a shipping carton I buy for $.79 from U-Line in quantity 100.

She's a local business, but so am I. Yet, she seems to think that I should come to her for things and pay exorbitant prices for them, just because she's local. Phooey on that! Business is competition. She cannot compete with Staples in any way, so she loses out.

Sorry, but I've got my own business to run, and I'm in competition with every other business in the world that does the same thing I do.

In my area we have locally owned Ace Hardware, True Value Hardware, Carter Lumber, Lumber Yard, and another independent one. Lowes in not far away and Home Depot w/in a half hour away. I only frequent the Ace and True Value stores. They are fantastic! Ace also carries lumber and tons of building materials so I don't really need to go to Lowe's much at all!

We also have a locally owned grocery store nearby that we go to 1/3rd of the time. The other 2/3rds are split between two other stores. The split is due mostly to coupons since they all charge about the same.

My big point is that I don't want Wal Mart to go under. I just don't like it and would rather support my local stores. That's all. It's just a choice. It's worth getting taken over the barrel now and then for a nice "Hello Mr. Hepfer! How are you today!" Besides, I'll never get a deal on slow moving QuickSet interior door knob/latch kits at Lowes or WalMart... but at the hardware store - 5 for $20! I LOVE small businesses!