Tuesday, October 09, 2007

McLendon's Hardware

Any talk about culture in Renton should include McLendon's Hardware, 440 Rainier Ave S, Renton, 425-235-3555. McLendon's has been around in Renton since 1921, and even though it is a mini chain (6 stores?) and even though the Renton store is huge, it still has the small town hardware store feel.
Sure, I shop at Lowe's and Home Depot once in a while, and it seems as if almost every time I'm at one of those stores, I deal with an employee who has no knowledge of hardware. A typical conversation goes something like this :
ME: I'm looking for a good hammer to buy. Do you have any recommendations?
HIM: Just a moment. (Gets on phone) Do we sell hammers here?

It's no like that at McLendon's. At McLendon's, employees have knowledge and are happy to share it. McLendon's is a fun place to shop. Employees tend to be a little eccentric, but friendly and helpful.
At Home Depot, they almost seem to be trying to recruit the stupid.

1 comment:

qmax said...

McLendon's is great! Kind of miss the feel of the old store. Was kind of a place where you could "explore" and find stuff they probably didn't know they had. But still, the new one is great.