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I'll be stopping in at the store in a couple hours. Anyone need something in particular fondled and ogled whilst I'm there?
Blackhat
Bad experiences come from poor decisions. So do good stories.
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Just wondering, Does each store have one of every hand tool or at least the popular ones available to try as they do with their traveling roadshow?
Ag
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It's a couple years since I've been to the bigger stores. Mostly they have displays of a large percentage of the product line. No facility for trials but the counter staff is willing to let you get your hands on the product IME.
Blackhat
Bad experiences come from poor decisions. So do good stories.
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I don't find Lee Valley stores very exciting. They aren't really woodworking stores - the Veritas tools in the store I visit are jammed in a few display cases around a column - get down on your knees to see some of them. You have to get an employee to get a tool out if you want to touch. Other tools are kind of randomlly displayed in other cabinets - many tools not in sight. Hardware displays are poor. Festool in a corner. Sawstop saws in different places each time I went in. The gardening section is the best laid out and displayed part of the store. Lots of impulse junky stuff in the middle. I usually waunder around a little and then end up at a computer station wondering why I bothered going to the store - should have ordered online - at least no shipping.
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I would have to say that the store displays, from a wood worker's perspective, have suffered a bit due to space competition from all the increase in products they now offer. It was a bit of a jumble. I can understand that from a retailer's point of view trying to cover the ever increasing cost of a brick and mortar presence. I was a bit disappointed at all the empty slots in the cases and again ended up with a couple items not available. I didn't have my list with me and a short wander around the aisles jogged me to grab several items I had initially forgotten. Staff were good to deal with, I overheard several other customers getting sound advice and my transactions were speedy and a pleasure. I certainly felt it was time well spent.
Blackhat
Bad experiences come from poor decisions. So do good stories.
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bandsaw said:
I don't find Lee Valley stores very exciting. They aren't really woodworking stores - the Veritas tools in the store I visit are jammed in a few display cases around a column - get down on your knees to see some of them. You have to get an employee to get a tool out if you want to touch. Other tools are kind of randomlly displayed in other cabinets - many tools not in sight. Hardware displays are poor. Festool in a corner. Sawstop saws in different places each time I went in. The gardening section is the best laid out and displayed part of the store. Lots of impulse junky stuff in the middle. I usually waunder around a little and then end up at a computer station wondering why I bothered going to the store - should have ordered online - at least no shipping.
I think LV, like grocers and other retailers, allocate store space based on margins. Those items with higher returns warrant more space. You're right about the impulse stuff being front and centre.
I've never had a problem getting to see and touch anything I was interested in.
My favourite part of any LV store is the clearance section. I've picked up some great deals- items returned used, stones with a slight edge chip, etc.
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I wish there was a Lee Valley store close to me, that I could find unexciting.
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GNP said:
I wish there was a Lee Valley store close to me, that I could find unexciting.
+ 1000
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GNP said:
I wish there was a Lee Valley store close to me, that I could find unexciting.
Amen. One of a very short list of things I miss about living in Ontario. It was also one of the perks of getting suckered into IKEA trips was that I stopped at Lee Valley.
-Marc
