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Old 05-25-2008, 06:07 PM
 
55 posts, read 162,901 times
Reputation: 66

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I see a lot of Walmart bashing here and there and strident calls for shopping in one's own local stores. If a local establishment has what I'm looking for I am more than content to shop there. I frequent my local hardware stores all the time. Even if the price is a little higher that Home Depot or Lowes, the fact that I don't have to go driving up Rte 1 more than makes up for it. I can get very nice greeting cards in my local shops, and if I'm looking for a birthday or Christmas gift I always check my local stores first.
But what if I need a spool of thread or kitchen towels, a stapler or desk lamp or other mundane thing? My local stores don't have 'em.
Early in the 20th century the complaint was that Kennebunkport locals could no longer buy a spool of thread or other essential in their own town. They had to hitch up the wagon and travel to Kennebunk or Biddeford for their goods. Their own shops were all geared towards the tourist trade.
I could drive all over creation looking for everyday items in order to purchase them in small locally owned shops. When my youngster was a little fellow I had the choice of shopping at local seconds outlets or at Ye Dainty Butterfly, Fine Children's Apparel, or other similar type stores. I used to go to Walmart or drive to the mall to find something sort of in between in price and quality. I could buy fancy kitchen towels of fine Egyptian cotton, but I balk at spending more than a buck or two for a kitchen towel, so I go to Walmart.
Those who declare they never would be caught dead shopping at Walmart, where do you buy thread? Of course, maybe you don't need to ever shorten a pair of pants or mend a ripped seam. You just take it to the drycleaners and have it done for you.
I did the dance of joy when we also got a Target. DH couldn't see what was so great about Target, but I was happy I finally had a choice. Now when I want a bucket I can check out two stores and hopefully find one that suits me just right. The buckets in my local hardware stores never seemed to fill the bill.
It's a shame that many small shops around the country fell under the mass buying clout of Walmart, etc. but what's done is done. Furthermore, many folks who used to shop at those stores were actually tickled pink when some big store came to town. I've seen it.
Now who'd have ever believed you could leave a store called The Christmas Tree Shops with a whole carriage full of unneccesary stuff? I didn't when I first saw it, til I wound up leaving with a carriage full of stuff.......
AKA menopausal in Maine
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Old 05-25-2008, 06:31 PM
 
2,133 posts, read 5,858,112 times
Reputation: 1420
Waterville has a large WM, which I avoided at all costs.

For thread, I would go to JoAnn Fabric or Yardgood Center.

I would also run down to Augusta for a lot of things...especially if it meant I could avoid WM.
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Old 05-25-2008, 06:47 PM
 
Location: Northern Maine
10,428 posts, read 18,585,931 times
Reputation: 11562
OK, I admit it. I buy thread at WalMart. It's the only place I know where you can get heavy duty Nylon carpet thread in black, white, forest green, dark brown, navy blue and khaki. Those are the only colors I need. Nylon doesn't rot and I use it for outdoor gear. I'm from the old school and when my gear gets snagged on something I patch the rip and keep right on using it. I figure it adds character.

I have been using the same Speedy Stitcher from LL Bean for over 50 years. I use their waxed nylon thread for boot repairs. A roll of thread lasts me about 4 to 5 years. I call it a roll because there is no spool.

While thinking about LL Bean's waxed thread I remembered that you can wax regular thread for use in sewing heavy materials like canvas. Chap Stick can be used to wax thread. Chap Stick also makes a great zipper lube for cold weather.
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Old 05-25-2008, 07:19 PM
 
Location: Backwoods of Maine
7,486 posts, read 10,444,293 times
Reputation: 21460
Quote:
Originally Posted by fortunata View Post
I see a lot of Walmart bashing here and there and strident calls for shopping in one's own local stores....It's a shame that many small shops around the country fell under the mass buying clout of Walmart, etc. but what's done is done.
My 2 cents for what it's worth:

It's your money and your choice. Wal-Mart is still doing quite well, so somebody's gotta be shopping there! They just might not admit it because it's not the trendy thing to do. It's more fashionable to bash the place, and then all your neighbors smile at you because you're saying the politically correct thing.

I have a problem with PC - it's called lying. I will not bash Wal-Mart. It isn't always my first choice to shop, but by gosh it's fast, the folks there are somewhat friendly, and you can't beat the prices. Us guys don't care much for shopping anyway. Keep it simple, I say. If it's easier to go to Wal-Mart, just go to Wal-Mart and never mind what other people say.
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Old 05-25-2008, 08:41 PM
 
Location: some where maine
2,059 posts, read 4,186,199 times
Reputation: 1245
we get ours from the general store in bingham some times we have to order it or make a special trip to walmart 55 ml away but most of the time they have what we need
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Old 05-25-2008, 09:35 PM
 
3,061 posts, read 8,338,648 times
Reputation: 1948
If I have to go to JoAnn's Fabrics for something and need thread, I get it there. Otherwise, I will probably pick it up at Walmart.
While WM isn't my favorite store, I do buy some things there. Target, I do not care for. I prefer to buy clothes at Kohl's or JC Penney. They have awesome sales and very good quality.
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Old 05-25-2008, 09:40 PM
 
Location: Corinth, ME
2,712 posts, read 5,631,484 times
Reputation: 1869
There is a little shop here in Milo -- I'll be darned if I can remember the name of it, but it;s between me and my storage unit so I can find it any time I need.

Little place, she carried some quilting stuff, doll house furniture and THREAD. Unless I am already in Bangor (likely at JoAnnes buying fabric) I would go there if I ran short of thread.

It behooves us, I think, to peer into every nook and cranny of the shops in our little towns and the ones nearby. You never know what you will find, and if you can remember where, save yourself aggravation and/or a trip to the city. I have a mental list, and on it has been sugar snap pea seeds. I have been looking everywhere as I made my usual rounds. NO there were none at Walmart! But I quite unexpectedly found them at the hardware store here in Milo, when I went in search of an inexpensive natural bristle paintbrush, which I found there as well.
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Old 05-25-2008, 10:41 PM
 
Location: Chaos Central
1,122 posts, read 4,097,980 times
Reputation: 902
For thread: I would go to Walmart, JoAnnes, and I think Michael's also has thread. Not sure about that though. There used to be a "Ben Franklin" store but no more in Maine I guess.

So I looked up sewing stores in Maine and found this:
Sewing Supply Stores - Sewing Supply Stores found in the State of Maine
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Old 05-26-2008, 04:31 AM
 
Location: Maine
6,620 posts, read 13,474,135 times
Reputation: 7345
We have a great variety store 10 miles from here. There's a small but efficient grocery next door. If they don't have something they will probably get it for us. Once every four or six weeks we have to break down and go to WM when we have a list of things we can't get in town. We hit the grocery store next door at the same time. I hate it.

The quality at Wal-Mart is often terrible, the check out was slow again (OMG! The cashier's friend Amy Sue had her baby and darnit, the cashier wasn't invited to the shower and she still has to buy a present and OMG Amy Sue looks great and she's been through soooooooo much---ahem, remember me? I'd really like to leave now. This was the conversation the other day.), too many people were going to customer service to get help because there weren't enough people on the floor, and it's as impersonal as you can get. Their check out security is a joke. You can hand the cashier a blank check and not be asked for identification. Since the cashiers don't know me how could they possibly know whether that's me handing over my check or someone else?

Quote:
I have a problem with PC - it's called lying.
They're not the same thing. I doubt anything I just said is PC but it is not a lie.
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Old 05-26-2008, 04:53 AM
 
Location: Northern Maine
10,428 posts, read 18,585,931 times
Reputation: 11562
Maine Writer's general store will get a boost in business because the gas station in the next town is either closed or will close by the end of May. That added business will boost their overall business and make the store more valuable. That store is for sale. Anybody want to run a real country store? The post office is in there so people have to go in.
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