Menard’s

Came here with my friend because she had to return something. It was a long story and we figured it would be a huge hassle but we were in and out in five minutes. I’m already a big fan of Menards, this just added to my love affair.

One of my favorite home improvement stores! Nice customer service, and generally good prices.

I enjoy shopping here for home improvement things. The staff is friendly and the prices are better than their competitor down the road.
I’m not sure if it’s coincidence, but it seems like I’m always running into friendly, helpful customers at Menards! The people who shop here are friendly! :) In the toilet isle we talked to a happy customer who told us how easy it was to install a new commode ourselves and gave us some tips… On another visit while I was loading heavy bricks into my trunk for a landscaping project a gentleman customer stopped and helped me load them! … So, I’m happy with not only the store, but the type of people it seems to attract. Happy Helpful People :)

I went thru a pretty intense home rehab project a couple of years ago that really changed my opinion on hardware stores. I’m not the handiest guy in the world so I relied on the kindness of friends and the assistance of strangers to learn what I couldn’t find online. Menards became a go to for two important reasons. First, I would price every purchase between all the options available and Menards had the best prices on most things I needed. Critical when working on several projects at once. The second thing was the staff would and could answer my questions and help get what I needed for the job. Unfortunately rare with their competition.

I’m probably the easiest person to buy presents for. All you have to do is buy me something sparkly, pink or something a twelve year old girl would like and I’ll be happy. So tell me why a family member got me a Menards gift card for Christmas? I think I’d been in there once in my entire life. Bizarre. I really was doubting how I was ever going to find something to spend my gift card on at Menards, but I figured I’d stock up on light bulbs or extension cords.
I didn’t know that Menards actually has a plethora of useful stuff for non-​home owners such as myself. There’s a giant cleaning supply section and I stocked up on garbage bags, sponges and CLR – the only cleaning product that works on disgusting dried food on top of stoves.
I was actually also quite impressed with the home décor section. I almost wished that ALL of my family had got me gift cards for Menards so I could completely re-​do my place. I bought this really awesome Japanese-​ish vase awhile back in Savannah and I’ve been wanting tiger lillies or some kind of dried flowers/​bark to put in it. I found these dried maroon botanical reeds that smell like crème brûlée for $ 11 bucks. They’re now the favorite part of my whole apartment and match my rug perfectly.
I can’t really say that I’m a huge Menard’s fan and that I’ll be here ALL the time now, but I will say that I’ll probably make it here more often now – much more often than just once every 29 years.

Well, considering Lowes is right down the street, I’d usually go to Lowes for most of the supplies Menards has. If you’re looking for wood, go to Lowes. Lowes and Menards have the same prices, but Lowes has a better floor plan so it’s easier to find the cuts you’re looking for.
The only thing I go to Menards for is dog food. They’re the only place in town that sells Diamond Naturals. It’s a good food for a good price for those looking to feed their dogs a better diet but can’t afford the really good stuff. It’s usually around $ 30 for a 40 lb bag, but they often have it on sale for $ 25.

I understand the motto «save big money at Mennnnnaaaarrrdddss» with brilliant clarity now; they pay half-​brains half a whole-​brained person’s hourly wage in order to cut down overhead and hence save big money. They send penny-​pinchers up and down the aisles in a 20 minute detour from where shoppers intended to be with these workers and shoppers hence melt at prices along the way that may or may not induce the hoarder in them to splurge a penny or two more. Brilliance? Perhaps if when I had asked the worker «where to find the carabiners?», she hadn’t sent me to the pool toy section for carribean themed floats.
The first thing I asked was actually, «I am looking for a hard hat headlight…» To clarify I said, «It is a light, that goes on top of a hard hat, that furthermore goes on top of your head.» The worker looked into space for a good 10 seconds, and AHA it came to her where precisely it would be. She took me to the lighting section to look at the lamps. DOH. I mentioned, «The headlight attaches to a construction hard hat so that I can observe things illuminated handsfree.» But like a mosquito she continued to flock to the light. I sure as hell can’t carry a lamp around with me at the job site.
We passed another associate and she at least paused to ask for his 2 cents… (or for any sense)… He replied, «Well I’d say try where them construction hats are.» So we walked a quarter mile across the store to find it… only to not find it. She said, «I don’t think we have it here honey. Sorry!»… I quipped, «It’s definitely here… only every single one of my co-​workers said they got theirs here, this brand, at this price. If you are out of stock that’s one thing, but I know for sure Meeennnnnaaarrrdddsss carries this item in general. Can’t you look it up on the computer or something?» She seemed flustered and walked away from me.
I actually felt bad. I was being a pest. But I was irritated. Sleep deprived. overworked. I am 50 miles away from home, near my job site and I NEEDED that tool, THAT night. I called my boss. «Chief I am here at Mennaaarrrdddsss and either the staff is challenged or I am unlucky enough to find a Meeennnaarrrddsss that doesn’t actually carry this item.»
He laughed and said, «Oh it’s there. Look by the flashlights. This brand. This price.»
I walk over to the flashlights and AHA! Lo and behold 5 different brands of hard hat headlights were there, including the brand I needed at the price my boss quoted me at.
The lady shows up a minute later. «Oh you found it! I just checked the system and it said it would be here»
Was I mad? No. The lady did her darned earnest to help me and I in the least appreciate that. What I am peeved about is the management. On a solo detour across this place I watched 2 teenage employees flirt with each other instead of offer me help. While looking for small sized latex gloves (of which they only carry large — GRRR), I overheard 2 lady employees giggling and chattering instead of helping me. And lastly, it took 3 employees to help me find the hard hat headlight, of which the phone call to my boss actually brought me to… management should spend a small penny or two and provide training to their employees on how to help shoppers «save big headaches from Meeeennnnaaarrrdddsss!»