Home Depot

I bleieve they had the ground breaking for construction the other day.... please tell me why does STX need a Home Depot? I could understand STT, since they have so much houses and construction going on over there. But STX's market isn't large enough to support so many hardware stores.

DL,
I agree with you, but maybe it's a sign of things to come. "sigh"

STX needs a Home Depot for a number of reasons, most notably Gallows Bay Hardware. I love Phil and Mary, but paying 2.5x retail for power tools has GOT to stop. STX has the new construction, and the room for more, regardless how we may feel about that. 🙁 Lamenting it won't change anything. But I'll be sad to see small, reasonable folks like The Toolbox go, if HD becomes a reality.

i agree with rks. i would love to see a home depot. give G.B.Hard. a run for their money. competition is always good. and a home depot would be great. i bet we would see prices at GBH come down.

The reality is Big Box stores are coming, but don't think you are going to get a bigger bargain. GB Hardware has been around a long time, yes they are expensive to some, but serve the community well. Before I call the 2.5% times retail on power tools "hogwash", maybe you can give an example. The people that work at GB Hardware are not paid minimum wage, so they can afford to house, feed, and cloth their families, many have worked there for years. Most business plans tend to cut staff before price. Ask the people on STT about HD's most popular item "Back Order". In order to live on an island any island it's expensive.

I think for once Lizard and I agree 🙂

I am excited for Home Depot for some things but I'm not sure that I'd use them for the things I'm already using GBH for.

For some things GBH are crazy overpriced but for many things they are quite reasonable. They are near me, and are always very helpful when I have a project to do. Saving $10 on my purchases for a project but buying the wrong things because I couldn't get help won't save me anything in the long run. I think the fact that they have such helpful people stems from the fact that they pay well even providing retirement and insurance I believe. These things go hand in hand with customer service. I won't expect (or likely get) the same level of service from $8.00/hour workers at HD.

Sean

Being a long time homeowner on STT I tend to use HD as a last resort - using our local suppliers may be a bit more expensive, at times, but seeing the same faces of the helpful employees at these stores year in and out and the great knowledge they share with the customer is way more satisfying and important to me as a resident - there really are very few times I find myself at Home Depot looking for something I couldn't find at a local supplier - and rarely is there anyone at HD who is helpful, goes out of their way, or knows the answer to my questions.

We call it Island Depot.
WAS awesome when it first opened.
It`s like IHOP, when they opened, it was great, when the locals were the only ones left to run it, it turned to crap.

Island Depot, has 1X lumber, but only 2X fasteners, 1/2" copper pipe,but only 1/4" fittings, no 1/2" PVC, but only 3/4" fittings & such.

Bottom line, you can`t start, let alone finish your project there!
If your project is huge(or if you time is worth little), you can shop there w/ your list, buy what they have, & get everything else somewhere else!

I just got a 18" gas chainsaw there(that's a bargain!).
It`s a Poulan, not the best, but better than homelite!

And, great for home self defense:D!

The reality is Big Box stores are coming, but don't think you are going to get a bigger bargain. GB Hardware has been around a long time, yes they are expensive to some, but serve the community well. Before I call the 2.5% times retail on power tools "hogwash", maybe you can give an example. The people that work at GB Hardware are not paid minimum wage, so they can afford to house, feed, and cloth their families, many have worked there for years. Most business plans tend to cut staff before price. Ask the people on STT about HD's most popular item "Back Order". In order to live on an island any island it's expensive.

Dude, I AM a local business and I have been for nearly 20 years on stx. I do my very best to support local businesses. To his credit, Phil will almost always come down to a reasonable price compromise compared against the stateside retail price. But it pains me that if he has that flexibility, why doesn't he offer it to everyone? How much more is a dusty, 2 year old, unsold circular saw worth compared to a steady flow of more current models?

You asked for an example: a few years ago I needed a new router for a router table. Porter Cable price across the internet was 179. GBH price 449. I offered Phil a generous $50 over the mailorder price for shipping and added 10% for the convenience which adds up to roughly $250 and he took the sale, but $449??? REALLY?!?

I know the expense of doing business here, and believe me, I'm sympathetic, but only to a point.

This "Dude says Hogwash" Porter Cable price was $339.00 Plus Shipping for your standard Table Router. Sounds to me that you got a good deal from GBH. That was today's internet price.

Are you comparing apples to apples?
What is the model #??
So we can see what "dude" is righteous, & which(if any) are full of $hit!

Some local merchants have GREAT deals!

Plaza had a great deal on stuffing(outside the box, w/ their own price/expiration stickers, & only a year to go for expiration date just like the new/fresh ones!).

Now, you don`t think they were taken out of their boxes BC they were expired, do you??
Um, yeah, great deal!

Now, how do we put this HERE, w/o upsetting the cry babies here whom have no respect of our right to properly express ourselves(Frankly,I`m getting sick & tired of pussy footing around around here...what do the rest of you guys/gals think????) of Those nice middle Eastern people whom never rip us off, always are RIPPING US OFF!

Well, I guess I will bring my own.

Porter cable 7539 speedmatic 3-1/4 peak HP-five speed router ($339.00 plus shipping).

Well Thanks guys and gals. I was looking at my tools and all the other crap in my workshop and wondering if I could replace certain items on STX, without having to pay the GBH prices. So now I know that I can't... not yet anyway. Maybe when Home Depot does come, it will enable ppl to do more construction and rehab through cheaper prices and more inventory. Lets be optomistic here. New jobs, larger selection, better prices and somewhere to tool around on Saturday mornings. I remember the shock I got when I went to get a fan at GBH and saw $200 for a ceiling fan that I bought stateside for $79. Can you sat BOX Fan from Kmart! Competition breeds good business, and STX needs some good business. We will all benefit at some point.

Do you really think that their prices are going to be that much more reasonable or that they will be able to keep stock? Look at the problems Officemax had/has on STX when they first came. They didn't get the shipping routine/ordering down for a long time. Always out of stuff.

And having built a new store, yeah they may have great grand opening pricing to attract customers, but at some point they have to pay their bills.

Linda I don't know what is going to happen there. But I HOPE that it will be something nice and useful. Maybe it will provide jobs, save some of us money, carry some things we don't have and just provide us with another choice. Wether it's to buy, complain or to avoid altogether, but at least it's something.

"Keep it simple, Don't expect much, Enjoy what you have."

Alright you tire-kickers, I was going from memory, and you persuaded me look up the receipt. I bought in 1998, and the catalog price was $229 and GBH initially wanted $499. So I stand corrected: 2.2x. I think my point remains intact. I was prepared to offer $300 but Phil, ever the gentleman, offered it at $275 which I happily accepted.

Do folks remember the pre-kmart days? It was tough finding a plastic laundry basket, for heaven's sake. And Kmart was a mess initially, but eventually they got supply line issues sorted and now one has a reasonable expectation of stock and cleanliness in the place. I fully expect HD to have the same issues, but I'll bet they get things sorted out more quickly. And yes, I do expect them to have good pricing on in-store items. Lumber and "yard items" will not differ much in price from St Croix Trading or Caribe Home Ctr, because they are already near their price point for the islands.

And, although PUI can have disastrous results, DUN makes some excellent points about expiration date shenanigans. BE WATCHFUL. I've done a lot of research on this topic over the years, and it's worth a thread of its own. (But I don't think ethnicity enters into it; correlation does not imply causation.)

Are you comparing apples to apples?
What is the model #??
So we can see what "dude" is righteous, & which(if any) are full of $hit!

Some local merchants have GREAT deals!

Plaza had a great deal on stuffing(outside the box, w/ their own price/expiration stickers, & only a year to go for expiration date just like the new/fresh ones!).

Now, you don`t think they were taken out of their boxes BC they were expired, do you??
Um, yeah, great deal!

Now, how do we put this HERE, w/o upsetting the cry babies here whom have no respect of our right to properly express ourselves(Frankly,I`m getting sick & tired of pussy footing around around here...what do the rest of you guys/gals think????) of Those nice middle Eastern people whom never rip us off, always are RIPPING US OFF!

most of our appliances came from G.B.H. and they are falling apart after only a few years. bought a high prices washer from them once and it lasted 1 1/2 years. told me to bad. and our stove now from them is breaking.

i do shop there only because at this time only game in town. but we order most tools etc. from states or get them when we are there.

GBH is so over priced. yes they have been there for the community in past years but we had to use them.

GBH, Tool Box, and Princess Hardware should continue to stay open and have decent business simply for the reason of convince. Caribe (sp?) Hardware may feel more impact due to it's location.

Here in AZ there are two home depots with in 2 1/2 an 3 1/2 miles from me. I still sometimes shop at the ACE hardware 3 blocks away if I need something in a hurry.

An educated consumer is our best customer, according to a men's clothing shop in the NY metro area. "Good Slogan"! I have no reason not to believe that your router was marked up to $499.00, However you represented to the retailer that the price was not the the true retail value of the router. The retailer adjusted the price and made you a better offer than you suggested to him. You didn't pay 2.1/2 times for the router and you didn't pay 2.1/4 times either. So this "Dude feels comfortable with the Hogwash statement". The (let the buyer beware) has been around a long time, your attention to detail saved you a lot of money "good for you". However your numbers were not accurate from from 11years ago, you said the Internet price was $179.00 and today $229.00 a corrected figure by you according to your records. The price I quoted of $339.00 was for a standard Router in today's market by your referenced Internet retailer, 11 years have elapsed and the price has gone up since 1998, So I don't know if that makes me righteous by Dun's standards?:S Sometimes the voice of reason works, it's a double edge sword and it depends on who is going to get the deepest cut.*-)

I like the Home Depot for a few items but when I went to buy two LARGE dowels I needed to hang a large outdoor curtain they had NOTHING in the store to connect to the two dowels. I left and went to a local store where they immediately took care of the problem at less cost than the dowels at HD. I do like the paint department however.

Pamela

Stopped at GBH today for some lead anchors. I expected them to be about 30 cents each. They were $1.80 each!:-o Just for kicks I looked at a 5/8 masonry bit while I was there. $19.00 Tool Box had it for $7 Gallows Bay Hardware is a rip off.

And don't even get me started on the refrigerator fiasco with Gallows Bay appliance. They tried to charge me over $700 to fix an ice maker in the fridge that was 12 months old. They must be selling seconds.

A client of mine asked me to look at her new kitchen the other day. She showed me how poorly the installation was of her appliances by GBH and the fact that half of them didn't work properly. Warming drawer had a bent drawer, Ice machine was leaking, Fridge edge piece misaligned..........................Total crap. When she called to complain they said they will not come out until she pays in full. I would guess she spent $25,000 on appliances from them and they won't even come make them right.

I will gladly shop Home Depot if it comes.

I have purchased over the years, from GBH, Various Tool's, Ref with ice maker, washer /dryer, stove with microwave. dishwasher, Fans, Light fixtures, screens, Screen door, Paint, curtain rods, ladder, grill, assorted nuts, bolts, screws, toilet seats, faucets,. They always had what I needed when I needed it. According to some I guess I'M lucky, because I have not experienced any problems. Any project I started I received good advice and instructions at times.:D

GBH is convenient in that they often have what you need. As for their prices - well, we call the store "Tiffany's".

From my stateside experiences (in three states) - Don't expect too much from Home Depot. When they first open the store will be well stocked and the staff will be friendlier and more helpful that anyone you've ever seen. But after a few months the "opening crew" (people who travel the country opening new stores to help them get established) will disappear and the staff will be locals left to fend for themselves. Without the pep rally mentality of the opening crew the staff will be only as good management encourages them to be.

They will carry what they want (what Corporate tells them to carry), the brands they want, at the inventory levels they want. If you don't like it don't buy it. But eventually you might because either you can't find exactly what you wanted elsewhere - or you did but it's at GBH at twice the price.

What we really need on STX is a Lowe's. I stopped going to Home Depot several years ago when we still lived in NJ. We left STX a few years ago for CA. The town we moved to had two Home Depots. It'd been a few years, we were in a different state, on a different coast. "Maybe they're better out here than they were in NJ" Wrong! I regularly walked out of a CA Home Depot without everything I went in for. I'd have to go to Lowe's to get everything else on my list. I soon realized Lowe's carried most of what I wanted. And I was wasting time and gas (at $4 per gallon) shopping at two different stores. So I said goodbye to Home Depot (again) and made Lowe's my go-to-store. When we moved from CA to FL I had the same experience. Leaving Home Depot with 3/4 of my list unfilled didn't work for me. Lowe's quickly became my first and usually only stop.

But I will welcome Home Depot on STX. If anything else I may not feel so bad spending more at GBH to get what I want.