What stores have closed in your neighborhood? (Alexandria, Burke: sale, real estate)

[claremarie]

McLean Hardware is a great store. The owners are dedicated to customer service, and it shows. Their employees are knowledgeable and actually interested in helping you find what you need. People are willing to pay a premium for that service, especially when the nearest Wal-mart is miles away. And it's my sense that most folks aren't buying their major tools at McLean Hardware -- instead they dash in for screws, cleaning supplies, washers, valves, and other odds and ends you that you find you need in the middle of a project.

[EuroExpat]

Ashburn: Shoppers grocery store. It is weird having a huge building empty, wonder how the smaller businesses around it are doing. I'm expecting another grocery store to close as well, there are too many around here.

[Melbourne Family]

Blue Tulip gift stores (Falls Church & Fairfax) have recently closed, a staff member told me the company had gone under. Such a shame, I had only just found these cute stores.

A gift store that was in Oakton when we arrived here 5 months ago is now gone as well as a bird/wilderness store also in Oakton.

Also noticed a girly store at Tyson's (think it was called Libby Lou or something similar) has closed.

Oh & the Vienna Safeway store is now closed.

[HEATHER72]

Gainesville:
Linens 'n' Things (Brand new store that closed 5 months later... why did they even bother)

Hollywood Video

Daily Grind Coffee

1 Starbucks closed, but then we have 3 Starbucks within a half mile of one another in the Gateway Shopping Center. Don't understand that.

Wouldn't be shocked if Shoppers went out of business here too now that Wegmans has arrived. Yesterday was my last time to go to Shoppers. They continue to ignore my complaints about dirty bathrooms with no tp and they have outdated food on the shelves.

[car54]

Originally Posted by claremarie

McLean Hardware is a great store. The owners are dedicated to customer service, and it shows. Their employees are knowledgeable and actually interested in helping you find what you need. People are willing to pay a premium for that service, especially when the nearest Wal-mart is miles away. And it's my sense that most folks aren't buying their major tools at McLean Hardware -- instead they dash in for screws, cleaning supplies, washers, valves, and other odds and ends you that you find you need in the middle of a project.

Fischer's Hardware in Springfield is the same way....they have old plumbers running the plumbing dept. and old electricians running the electrical dept., and so on. They do everything but go home with you and do the repair! They carry lots of stuff you'll never see at the Big Boxes....like parts for obsolete plumbing and lighting fixtures...and if it isn't in stock they'll get it for you, quick. They have some amazing hardware catalogs to order from.

I wouldn't go there for tools, but if I was there and needed a tool I didn't have to complete a repair....no way I'd drive miles and fight the masses at WallyWorld to save 7 bucks, no way. Plus, I like to support unique businesses like Fischers, and have for well over 40 years now. I still miss the old Star Supply in Annandale! LOL

I just read that the Fischer family has sold the business after 50 odd years....I sure hope the new folks don't change NUTHIN!

[tankdude]

Originally Posted by claremarie

McLean Hardware is a great store. The owners are dedicated to customer service, and it shows. Their employees are knowledgeable and actually interested in helping you find what you need. People are willing to pay a premium for that service, especially when the nearest Wal-mart is miles away.

It is a great store, and if price is not a factor, then it's a great convenience.

It's just that nothing sold by that store can't be found at Walmart or Home Depot for cheaper. Home Depot, in fact, offers a lot of free in store classes on how to do home projects. You don't need to pay a premium for any of that.

And, there's a Home Depot right in Vienna/Dunn Loring and another in Falls Church.

It's all about being a savvy shopper, and for most DIY'ers, they want to save on home projects anyway. Otherwise, they'd pay someone to do it for them.

McLean Hardware also carry a small selection of car care products. Why? There's an Advanced Autoparts next door that has a better selection and prices.

Originally Posted by claremarie

And it's my sense that most folks aren't buying their major tools at McLean Hardware -- instead they dash in for screws, cleaning supplies, washers, valves, and other odds and ends you that you find you need in the middle of a project.

I don't think McLean Hardware could pay the rent if they were just selling screws, valves, and odds and ends.

They don't even have much of a selection of mulch/dirt/compost.

As I noted on my initial post, I compared the price for a pair of pliers between them and Walmart.

In fact, at McLean hardware, they carry a lot of major tools including BBQ grills.

[normie]

Cascades Marketplace lost Linens & Things. I hope they put something entirely different in that big store--there are enough stores like that around already. The neighborhood is starting to get tons of middle school kids and teens now--maybe they could take a big space like that and create some sort of fun zone for kids? If someone would buy a bunch of Wii's and set them up so the local kids had a place to hang out, I bet it would make a ton of money.

[claremarie]

There are some people who value time over money, and they'd rather pay a few extra dollars at McLean Hardware than drive miles away to Home Depot and deal with the employees who know nothing about hardware.
That's why stores such as McLean Hardware stay in business.

[Denton56]

Stores come and go, what people want changes. Stores in Vienna have changed tremendously over the last 25 years. So have houses. And cars. And clothes. Things change. Always. Except for the Vienna Inn.

[GreenGene]

Originally Posted by VEIK

So, are these places closing down cause of the financial troubles, or is it because say internet replaced traditional retail shopping?

I mean, things like Netflix killed the video stores for sure.

We had a video chain (can't remember the name) within a short drive of us (Dale City) that closed several years ago ... different business in there now. In the same very small strip mall, a car repair shop closed, but was replaced by a tire store.

And there was another, independent video store within walking distance - that was replaced by a medical office. I used to go there often - not a huge selection, but the prices were reasonable and when I have the choice, I like going to independent stores.

That left Blockbusters, and the last DVD I rented there was $4.99 (I don't know when they went up in price - previously, the price had been $3.79). The day I returned the DVD to Blockbusters was the day I signed up for Netflix.