My local hardware store changed hands in 2019, and the difference is stark

I've been going to the same hardware store on Route 9 in Albany for over 15 years. Back then, the owner knew everyone by name and would special order oddball parts without asking for a deposit. In 2019, the old guy retired and his nephew took over. Within six months, the store had a new logo, a loyalty card app, and shelves rearranged so you have to walk past the power tools to get to the plumbing section. The staff went from two old-timers who could tell you the exact thread pitch from memory to three teenagers who just point at the aisle signs. Prices on basic items like 3/4 inch PVC elbows went up about 30 percent, and the special order desk now charges a 15 percent restocking fee. I get that retail changes, but is this just the normal death of small stores, or did something specific about the nephew's business model cause it? Has anyone else watched a familiar place get 'modernized' and feel like they're in a different building?

0 comments

0 Comments

No comments yet

Be the first to share your thoughts on this discussion.