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Forum topic by Tennwood | posted 07-27-2012 07:01 PM | 7400 views | 0 times favorited | 39 replies | ![]() |
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07-27-2012 07:01 PM |
Topic tags/keywords: woodcraft chattanooga The Woodcraft store in Chattanooga announced it is closing down after three plus years. It is sad to see a great store and dedicated owner and employees leave. I stopped by today and talked to Rodney, the franchise owner, and he said hard times, hard economy and just a lack of business forced him to shut to doors. For those in SE Tennessee and NW Georgia, they will be sorely missed. It looks like my woodworking purchases will be mostly internet now. For me, they have been wonderful resource. I have purchased a lot of items from them, taken a couple of classes, and picked a lot of free advice from them. I purchased my Powermatic table saw from them and they bent over backwards from ordering, to delivering the saw and helping me get in down into the basement. -- Jim, SE Tennessee, "Don't spare the kindling Dear, we have plenty" |
39 replies so far
#1 posted 07-27-2012 07:46 PM |
Yes, sadly another example of “It Worked”, “the private sector is doing fine”. I personally can feel their pain. I lost my job of 30 years thanks to the idiot policies of “The Won”. |
#2 posted 07-27-2012 08:01 PM |
Amen to both prior comments. I’ve purchased many items there and all were supported with great advise and suggestions from really great woodworkers. Living in Soddy daisy and not driving I’m rarely able to shop at will, but those guys always were ready to hold an item for me till I could get over across town. So sorry for their closing. My wife also regets their demise as she also shopped for her own tools. Russell Pitner -- Russell Pitner Hixson, TN 37343 bassboy40@outlook.com |
#3 posted 07-27-2012 08:22 PM |
This bothers me. I’ve talked to my brother about us investing in a Woodcraft store in our area. We’re already in the molding business and even though they would be separate businesses we have always thought that they could enhance each other. It’s hard to make any plans when you’re in a situation like this economy where you don’t really know what the government is going to do next or what your expenses will be. We’re not even buying new machinery anymore. We used to replace our equipment whenever the maintenance cost got to be a little above the monthly cost of new machinery. This is how we used to keep our equipment modern and up to date, but not any more. This country is really going downhill. helluvawreck aka Charles -- helluvawreck aka Charles, http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com |
#4 posted 07-27-2012 09:54 PM |
I have always loved Woodcraft ever since I can remember. I’ve been a Woodcraft customer for 40 years. Shortly after my wife and I were married in 1971 I bought my first set of hand tools from Woodcraft for $1000. I must have spent 40 hours thinking about which tools I would buy so I didn’t take the purchase lightly. Back then $1000 was a lot of money and could buy a whole lot more than it can today. You could buy a Ford Granada for $5000, for example. We ended up buying a new Kharman Ghia for $2700. We drove that Kharman Ghia for 5 years and we sold it for $2500 so it turned out to be a good investment. I wish that I still had that car. I already had some tools that I had scraped up during High School so I was adding to what I already had. It was my first big woodworking investment. Every catalog I got I would look at it for hours. In fact, every other woodworking catalog that I got I would look at for hours. In Atlanta, Woodcraft’s biggest competitor is Highland Hardware. I think I’ve been doing business with them for at least 30 years – maybe close to 40 – I can’t remember when they started. They are both a retail outfit and an internet and catalog business. I tried to get down to both stores at least once every three months but that really proved to be difficult even though they are both only 35 or 45 miles from my home. Invariably, that is going to add up to a 3 to 6 hour trip since you are going to want to browse in the stores and then you have to encounter rush hour traffic which is never pleasant. If you go on the weekend then traffic is not so bad but then I’m cutting into my woodworking time which is usually the weekend. helluvawreck aka Charles -- helluvawreck aka Charles, http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com |
#5 posted 07-27-2012 11:05 PM |
It’s a tough business. Many (most??) customers come and look then go home an order it off the web. -- Joe |
#6 posted 07-28-2012 12:20 AM |
Joe were you the franchise owner? Your staff of Chris, Randy Colby et. al are OUTSTANDING people. -- Russell Pitner Hixson, TN 37343 bassboy40@outlook.com |
#7 posted 07-28-2012 12:37 AM |
I hope the one local to me stays open, there is nothing closer except Lowes and HD and I’ve stopped shopping there except for 2×4s and cheap ply. Only place I buy tools is craigslist or woodcraft and always woodcraft if I can afford new because they’re always helpful in making recommendations. -- --Rev. Russ in NY-- A posse ad esse |
#8 posted 07-28-2012 02:04 AM |
Handtooler No, I have no connection with that Woodcraft, or any other. (I’ve been retired for 4+ years.) I was just making a general statement about that and similar brick and mortar retail businesses. That is the reason you hardly ever see things like computers, cameras, etc. in small stores. PS -- Joe |
#9 posted 07-28-2012 02:50 PM |
The Woodcraft in Fort Lauderdale closed over a year ago due to the same reason and it is a 3 hour drive to the closest. I feel your loss and pain! |
#10 posted 07-28-2012 02:56 PM |
My Knoxville Woodcraft was awesome. Sorry to hear this. -- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog |
#11 posted 07-29-2012 12:14 AM |
The one in my neck of the woods closed last December… We no longer have a single place in Rhode Island to buy tools other than the big box stores. -- Without the wood, it's just working |
#12 posted 07-29-2012 02:08 AM |
Why do you guys care? Both Woodcraft and Rockler sell on Amazon, and you get free shipping. Other than getting your eyeballs on the wood you’re buying, why would you go into the store anyway? I am not being a smart* ... my local Woodcraft store is over 10 miles away from me … with gas prices what they are, and me driving an F150 … that’s $5 surcharge JUST to go look in the store. And my local Rockler is 15 miles the other direction. Back to the wood … the only thing I’d miss is the exotic turning stock. Otherwise I shop at my local Ganahl Lumber and two other hardwood suppliers ... they have a better selection of hardwoods and better prices than Rockler or Woodcraft ever thought of. |
#13 posted 07-29-2012 02:07 PM |
Here in phoenix the woodcraft wants to add a second sore on the oppisite side of town. They are doing pretty good. -- Ken, USAF MSgt, Ret. |
#14 posted 07-29-2012 03:44 PM |
“Why do you guys care? Both Woodcraft and Rockler sell on Amazon, and you get free shipping. Other than getting your eyeballs on the wood you’re buying, why would you go into the store anyway?” Zinderin remarked. That’s just wrong dude. |
#15 posted 07-29-2012 03:48 PM |
I care that my local Woodcraft stays afloat because; 1. They pay taxes that help keep my taxes down. |
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