The Home Depot

I mean, it’s a Home Depot. Normally I wouldn’t bother to review a chain, slash I wouldn’t even go here if I’d found a decent indie hardware store near me since I moved here. In general, the customer service at this location is… lackluster at best? I’ve endured ridiculously long wait times for help, followed by painful interactions with employees who seemed annoyed the whole time that I wasn’t already an expert on home maintenance. Basically what I’m trying to say is that I hate this place. But I live in an old house and it falls apart around me every few months and I’d put it off for a while but then I broke a CFL so I had to at least come here to dispose of that and I brought my home repair to-​do list with me and prepared myself for the uphill battle of obtaining information and supplies.
And that was how Richard came into my life.
If Richard had his own Unilocal page I would give him 5 stars, or maybe 6. I don’t know Richard’s last name, or I would look up his address and send him fan mail until he got a restraining order. I wish I knew his work hours so I could plan my Home Depot excursions about them. No joke, next time I need to go, I will probably call in advance and ask if he’s in before I go. If they go, «Richard who? We have like four Richards who work here,» I will try to give a physical description. In case you want to use this method too, here is what I will say: «I don’t know, men all look the same, but he is a white guy in like his forties I guess, and I think he has glasses and maybe looks a little like Steve Jobs but like smaller? He maybe goes by Rich because I think I heard another employee call him that? And we talked about tattoos so I know he has at least one tattoo but I don’t know where, and if that was a secret he didn’t want his bosses to know about, I’m so sorry, please forget I said anything and don’t rat me out to him because I need him.» Alternatively, I could just say «he was helpful» and that should narrow it down a lot.
This is a 1-​star business with at least one 6-​star employee so it’s not exactly that I’d suggest you go there so much as I suggest that if you find yourself with no other choice *but* to go there, you demand to see Richard.
RICHARD OR BUST.

It’s ridiculous this place generally has 1 live check out clerk. They try to corral you thru self checkout instead.
This location had super helpful employees and is one of the few Home Depot locations where you don’t have to hunt them down. They are easily accessible and actually approach you to ask for help more often than not.

Ah, Home Depot. The Wal-​Mart of hardware.
I have mixed feelings about Home Depot. They are convenient-​but a lot of their products are crap. Even the brand name items are often «made for Home Depot» and are not made to the same standards as the regular brand name items. (Google it if you are skeptical.) The staff here is hit and miss too, especially at this store. I’m sure a part of the reason is that it suffers from the same problem as most of the retail outlets on the Magic Mile… being on the bus line with direct access to New Haven. Too many times I found found the staff to be uncaring, uninformed and a few times rude (and yes, if one is rude to me I AM the type of guy that reports it to the manager).
I have also purchased an item (it was a grinder) that was clearly used and returned. When I got home and opened the box, the grinder was covered with dust (not light dust from sitting, but grinding residue). When I returned the grinder, telling the associate that I had just purchased it and it appeared used, the associate accused me of using it and returning it. I asked for the manager, who looked at the receipt and realized I had purchased it about 15 minutes earlier and apologized. Now when I buy packaged items there I look to see if they are factory sealed, or if they are not, I check to see if they have been used.
Buying lumber there has always been interesting. It takes a while to find pieces without warping, excessive knots or breaks and other imperfections.
I do patronize the store, but I generally will restrict my purchases to things I need quickly or cheap. If I need more expensive items that I want to last (like a snowblower or a mower) I’ll go to a power equipment store, or if I need something like hardware that is quality, I’ll head to Spring Glen Hardware or Goody’s in East Haven.

With the help of the Home Depot app and self-​checkout, you don’t have to interact with anyone in the store at all. I stopped in for a draft stopper and was in and out in 5 minutes.

I’ve been working on painting my apartment, and I’ve been to Home Depot 7 – 8 times in the last few weeks. I had no trouble finding the things I need, and the staff has always been helpful whenever I’ve asked them any questions or advice. They have a pretty flexible return policy, the only thing I’ve bought that’s not returnable is the mixed paint. Other than that, I’ve already returned a few things when I’ve found that they won’t work for my project, or that something better is available.

We live in a fixer-​upper, so we go to this Home Depot so often that they might get worried if they don’t see us one day.
I know some smaller hardware stores aren’t happy about the big box stores, but there’s no denying that it is super convenient, with great selection and prices.
Only had a few dud items that had to be returned, and returns are never a problem. Even if you lost the receipt, they can look it up if you give them the card you used.
still has better prices on a number of things (like power tools), but I’ve found that you can often bring in a printout of the Amazon price and HD will match it. Win! You get the best price and you get it right now.
Sometimes it is hit or miss with the in-​store staff of large stores like this. Usually at this HD they are competent and helpful. Though at times I’ve had to run around trying to find someone just because they can’t be everywhere at once in a large store. The new call buttons in the aisles help.
I do wish that they wouldn’t stop carrying things like Snowblowers in January or February because they are getting ready for spring though. There is still plenty of winter left!
Overall a very good store.