Not too happy with my local Woodcraft store

[Arlin Eastman]

At least you guys have stores to complain about.

I've got nothing like a Woodcraft or Rockler within an hours drive.




Ed

Ed

I agree our closet Rockler or Woodcraft is in Minnesota and nothing like them in Omaha/Council Bluffs but a WAY over priced store that carries very little and any classes cost $75 and up.
Went to a class there when I started turning pens and the teacher did not know how to sharpen the tools which spoons were sharper then what I was using.

[AHill]

Even with $$$$$ Woodworking as a whole is sort of a fail there, unless you are a hardcore woodworker, but you are still pretty much alone, so with a huge population, still not much woodworking interest. "Thee Woodworking Shows" dropped their Cali shows, they are all about $$$$$$ if they, and their vendors aren't making it, they will not darken your door anymore. So those riche folks were not spending it evidently.

I make the big bucks as a fairly high ranking engineer, but the big bucks don't go far in SoCal or the Bay Area for that matter.  I got a 12% raise to move here from Fort Worth, Texas, but the cost of living is more like 20% higher in the high desert where I live.

As far as woodworking interest, I guess it depends on where in California you live.  LA metro and San Diego have a LOT of custom shops and a LOT of lumber dealers.  Northern California sports the likes of College of the Redwoods, where Krenov taught.  Famous woodworkers like Sam Maloof and David Marks made California their home.  Yeah, it's horribly expensive to live here, and the taxes are obnoxious as well, but there's enough of a woodworking community to feed the interests of those who care.

BTW, while the domestics tend to be pricey here, the exotics are usually less expensive than anywhere else in the US, since they mostly enter the port in Long Beach.  Walnut isn't too bad, given there are acres and acres and acres of walnut trees in the Central Valley.  I get plenty of olive wood for turning from a guy who sells it as firewood.  It's not Bethlehem olive, but it's pretty close.

All that said, I'd move back east in a heartbeat if the company allowed.  I'm the company expert for what I do, and they want me here, so it looks like I'll be here until I retire.

[EricU]

I keep thinking we have a new Woodcraft when I pass by the strip mall, then I realize it's just the local furniture factory that has the same name.  The closest Woodcraft to me is Harrisburg, I like to stop in occasionally.  They moved though, it's not as convenient any more. We did have a woodworking store for a while back in the '90s, it was nice. But I never quite understood the economics that would justify it.

They probably should make OP a deal on their remaining stock of store branded router bits if they aren't going to carry them. I think it makes a store look bad when they have a poorly stocked display.

[rbs]

Our Rockler or Woodcraft is in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, so I rarely get to go to them. Last month I stopped in to Rockler in Burnsville on my way to a MN Wild game and was not impressed at all. I was in the store for 45mins and even tho there was no other customers in the store, not one of the 3 employees made any contact with me. I finally went and asked for some help on a fitting for dust collection and the guy was almost clueless. I will from not on order online unless I want to see something in-person and am going to be in the area.

As far as the WC green bits I have a few and they seemed to work alright but not my go to bit. I also have some of the Rockler light blue bits and I don't have anything bad to say about them either. I guess I should buy a Freud and do a side by side comparison on them.

[Tapper]

  I have a Rockler an hour away. I'll take a trip up there and see how they deal with every day fo1k.


                                                                         Jim

"People buy from people they like" - it never changes. I'll never understand why people in business know so little about sales and customer service.




Doug

[Steve N]

They probably should make OP a deal on their remaining stock of store branded router bits if they aren't going to carry them.  I think it makes a store look bad when they have a poorly stocked display.

The store I go to in Dayton sold all of theirs off about 3 years ago. Allen the owner/Mgr said they were being dropped. I bought a bunch of them at 2 bux apiece, later they sold off the dregs for 50 cents. It wasn't 3 months, and the display was almost full of them again. I asked about it, and was told WoodCraft Central was a dodgy place, run by idgits, and other idgits, and they reversed themselves when the Chinese manufacturer agreed to their terms to keep making them, at the price WoodCraft wanted. Allen never got as deep into them again, instead he went much heavier on Whiteside, and of course Freud.

Brian at Holbren can get the Whitesides to me cheaper, but if I need it NOW, I only average a buck more, but I do have to pay tax at WoodCraft. If you go to Holbren, remember your WoodNet discount.  
 
 

[Billbo]

We in the Atlanta area have lots of good woodworking stores:
- Woodcraft (2 stores)
- Rockler (2 stores)
- Highland Woodworking
- Peachtree Woodworking Supply
- Probably some others that I can't recall right now.

Although I can usually buy online a bit cheaper, I try to buy local.
- Why?  I value the customer service, advice, and support that I get from most of these stores.

As I was getting into turning I called my closest Woodcraft and asked about a particular "Easy Wood Tool" - they said "We got it, come on in and you can try it out."  When I got there they let me try one out on a lathe in the classroom shop and helped me in determining size needed, how to best use the tool, etc.  That's service and help that's worth something (at least to me).

They have worthwhile classes too!

Overall I am happy with the woodworking stores in the Atlanta area.

[fall]

As far as customer service I know the Saginaw Mi. store has a very poor manager and she is terrible to work with. On the same note I was in the Grand Rapids, Mi. store recently and they were great there.

[robert146]

I am about an hour away from the Grand Rapids store mentioned by "fall". I don't go there frequently but if I need something the special, I'll make the trip. The store is well stocked, but there NO bargains! The employees are helpful and if they don't have an answer will quickly find someone who does. In fact, sometimes they are too attentive. I generally browse around and find something I'd like to have, but really don't need; and it always is more than I'd like to spend. So I always ask for their "best price" or a discount. About 50% of the time I get a discount after the salesman has a conference with the manager.

I have a son in Wisconsin and generally visit the Woodcraft store in Appleton while I am there. It's like going into a different world! So I'm guessing the local management has a great deal to do with how a customer is treated.

[Arlin Eastman]

Have not heard from the OP so what did the OP do?