Take the "Only Buy at local Austin Businesses" oath.....help keep 'em open during these hard times! (Houston: Home Depot, to buy)

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by UKjay

I like to shop at local stores too, but the one thing no one has mentioned is the attitude that often comes with the sales staff.
How about some a thread with suggestions of great places sans attitude

I was surprised to read about your experience at Book People. That's the only book place where I can actually get some knowledgeable help about subjects and books that I can't find anywhere else. You should have spoken to the manager. I can NEVER find help at B&N or Borders, ever. I've just about given up.

As for garden shops, you probably are paying a little more at a place like Natural Gardener, or Shoal Creek, but you are paying for experience and knowledge. Again, at Lowes or HD, the salespeople are clerks NOT master gardeners. A long time ago, I decided to stop wasting money by buying the totally wrong "cheap" plants for my soil and light at the big box stores and headed for the specialists.

AND...I can't say enough good things about Breeds and Northwest Hardware. They are the best at helping and guiding you on a project. Lowes and HD are ok for some things, but I definitely try to patronize the locals.

[Trainwreck20]

I can NEVER find help at B&N or Borders

Actually, I have found the employees at Barnes and Noble to be extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Regardless of who the end-owner/manager of a place is, you are going to tend to attract employess who gravitate toward that business. I do like wandering around B&N and my daughter loves their kids' 'reading' room, but I often do not end up buying there (mostly do the library thing ).

[Schnaiy]

(Quote) AustinGuy: I don't necessarily agree with this. I've had much friendlier service at many of the local __evil__ Starbucks than I've had at many of the local indie coffeeshops.

I have to concur with you about Starbucks customer service - they really do provide excellent training for their employees, which makes a real difference to the customer (my son had to go intensive training and they do have district managers that just pop in and randomly observe). Equally, some local coffeeshops have fantastic menu items but the owners have missed altogether the importance of ensuring that customers are always made to feel welcome - those that do it successfully get repeat and loyal customers, the others invariably end up closing. C'est la vie.
The point of the pledge though, is to support local small businesses rather than national chains.
(Quote) AustinGuy:Plus, some of the local places mentioned in this thread like Amy's and Galaxy are becoming mini-chains in their own rights on the verge of expanding into their own empires.
Therefore, the success of Amy's and Galaxy are a testament to local businesses being patronized and being successful. They still are not national and so add to the uniqueness of the Austin or Texas region - you can easily identify them as being from Texas.

[Salgal1113]

Adding some ideas for the northern neighbors:

Pecan Street Station (Deli) - burgers, breakfast, shakes, salads
Ooh La La! - funky gifts and decor
El Rincon - Tex-Mex with live music
Gaddy's Hardware - hardware, nursery, general merchandise
Green 'n Growing - cool nursery
Dazzle Coffee - no explanation required!

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by mimimomx3

I was surprised to read about your experience at Book People. That's the only book place where I can actually get some knowledgeable help about subjects and books that I can't find anywhere else. You should have spoken to the manager. I can NEVER find help at B&N or Borders, ever. I've just about given up.

As for garden shops, you probably are paying a little more at a place like Natural Gardener, or Shoal Creek, but you are paying for experience and knowledge. Again, at Lowes or HD, the salespeople are clerks NOT master gardeners. A long time ago, I decided to stop wasting money by buying the totally wrong "cheap" plants for my soil and light at the big box stores and headed for the specialists.

AND...I can't say enough good things about Breeds and Northwest Hardware. They are the best at helping and guiding you on a project. Lowes and HD are ok for some things, but I definitely try to patronize the locals.

Couldn't agree more about how much better in all ways BP is...


BTW, "Austin's Own" Breeds has its own Facebook page now!

//www.facebook.com/pages/Austin...Co/19240692858

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Actually, I have found the employees at Barnes and Noble to be extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Regardless of who the end-owner/manager of a place is, you are going to tend to attract employess who gravitate toward that business. I do like wandering around B&N and my daughter loves their kids' 'reading' room, but I often do not end up buying there (mostly do the library thing ).

You've had better luck than me! Another 'thing' about Bookpeople that I love is Topher, the kids bookseller specialist- he's amazing and can always recommend the perfect book for my kids!

[woodinvilleguy]

One note; when you shop for computers there are a lot of us that get to keep our jobs because of the sales at big box stores....

[antennaball]

While I understand the spirit of shop local, it's one of those things that I think becomes a catch-phrase without a lot of thought behind it. As someone else said, the big-box stores employee lots of locals. Giving all your business to local stores is fine-and-all, but in reality the only differences are that the owners of those stores are local. EVERY store, big box or not, keeps your fellow Austinites employed.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by antennaball

While I understand the spirit of shop local, it's one of those things that I think becomes a catch-phrase without a lot of thought behind it. As someone else said, the big-box stores employee lots of locals. Giving all your business to local stores is fine-and-all, but in reality the only differences are that the owners of those stores are local. EVERY store, big box or not, keeps your fellow Austinites employed.

Eh, I don't quite agree. While big-box employees are local, and their pay stays local, much of the rest of the money the store makes does not. Also, I think big box prices are often a ripoff -- as I mentioned earlier, they are many times not cheaper than local, smaller stores. They will lure you in with a few things that are cheaper, but then rob you blind on things you aren't even thinking about. Do a price comparison sometime.

Also, it just really annoys me when I'm shopping at a big box hardware store, or a bookstore... and I have a question. I'll ask the question (even though I should know better), and within a sentence or two I realize the person I'm talking knows even less than I do about my question.. hate that.

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by atxcio

Eh, I don't quite agree. While big-box employees are local, and their pay stays local, much of the rest of the money the store makes does not. Also, I think big box prices are often a ripoff -- as I mentioned earlier, they are many times not cheaper than local, smaller stores. They will lure you in with a few things that are cheaper, but then rob you blind on things you aren't even thinking about. Do a price comparison sometime.

Also, it just really annoys me when I'm shopping at a big box hardware store, or a bookstore... and I have a question. I'll ask the question (even though I should know better), and within a sentence or two I realize the person I'm talking knows even less than I do about my question.. hate that.

"everything we have is on the shelf and I don't know when we'll get anymore". I don't know why, but I really, really hate that answer.