Re: [VAC] Chain stores

[Sarah Calhoun <scalhoun@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm with you, Jim, I like independent stores and it's always a big hole in
the local supply scene of whatever when we lose one.  Example:  a great old
hardware store a few years ago went out of business, primarily because their
location was no longer in the midst of where a lot of building work went on,
as it was in the 1880s when they started.  Although I was willing to go out
of my way to go there (it wasn't far, just not where you'd think to look),
evidently not enough other folks were, or never knew they were there.  Who
knows why they never moved, probably a gradual decline and by the time they
realized they needed to, they could no longer afford to.  I admit I go to
the chain stores too, but the people in the local store were such a wealth
of information, helpful advice, knowledge about their stock and what works
and what doesn't ... kind of like this list!  The guy in the red vest at Ace
at least half the time has no idea what I'm talking about or gives me wrong
advice (I find out later after much suffering).  Sure, Randy, they could put
themselves on the net, and maybe survive, who knows, but there's no
substitute for being able to walk into someplace with a part that you have
no idea the name of, and say, "Do you have something like this?"  That's the
kind of world I'd still rather live in, despite all this great connectivity
and all.  I find I have never yet known everything I needed to know about
something and could just go pluck the part out of a bin.

That said, here's a web site for you, Randy:  abebooks.com  It's a worldwide
network of independent booksellers who pool their inventory information,
including information on used, rare or out of print books.  Serves both your
interests (wanting web access to stuff) and Jim's and mine (keeping
independent stores in business).  You can order whatever they have through
the web site (just like amazon) or connect directly to the bookstore and
call them, talk to a human being, order by phone, whatever.  Now this I
admit is a great thing to have on the web!

--Sarah