Menards

Customer service is non existent at the Topeka location. At first I thought it was an isolated occurrence, but after a few more visits it is pretty much constantly poor. Guess I will take my business elsewhere

Menards is a welcome addition to Topeka. I got tired of going to Lowes and being ignored by the employees, having to wait forever to get checked out by one of two employees working the register, and dealing with the old asshole that works in the plumbing department.
It is nice to be able to get an employees help without them treating you like you are an inconvenience.

My first visit and most likely last. I Walked by ten or so employees (a manager, two cashiers, two workers at the exit door, a door greeter or someone just hanging out at the front, and several stockers; not one said hello or offered to help me find water heaters. I walked around the store couldn’t find the hot water heaters and left.
The store is really laid out weird. You’ll find grocery items on the end caps of hardware sections… Someone with attention deficet disorder must’ve laid out the store. I’m assuming they don’t sell hot water heaters as I didn’t see any.

Menards is a chain of home improvement stores in the midwest. This store is layed out like their other stores, so if you’ve been in one, you know where everything is already. Went here on their official «Grand Opening». Fortunately, it was raining outside so that kept some people away for a bit, so it wasn’t as bad. However, by the time I left, more people were coming in and it was becoming a madhouse. I don’t blame the store management though: Low prices and a few freebies does that.
Menards sells the same items any home improvement place like Lowes or Home Depot sells. Prices on items are cheaper, however, the quality tends to be cheaper too, although not as cheap as Harbor Freight. Unlike the other places, they also have a small grocery section, which is useful if you don’t want to make a second stop to get something.
Customer service is very good. People are knowledgeable in where items are located. Very useful since many items, especially their loss leaders, were out of place. However, seemed like not everybody was ready for their big sale. Some items weren’t marked correctly, but they did scan correctly.
Overall, Menards is trying to get into a crowded market where there’s already two other stores nearby selling the same things. Unfortunately, Topeka really isn’t big enough to support 3 similar stores in the same place. One will be gone in a few years, but no idea which one. Menards will have to play to their advantage if they don’t want to be the odd man out.