The Bed-Stuy Home Depot

putnam-denizen · December 2007

I have never been impressed with Home Depot. When I was renovating my house five years ago, I spent far too much time at the Home Depot below the Gowanus near Red Hook. It was dirty, there were no employees available who were helpful, etc. But I must say that the Bed-Stuy Home Depot drives me even crazier.

Today the bf and I went to get tools and materials for a long-delayed tiling job. Everything went fine until we hit those check-out lines. The first one we were in was closed because someone was going out to lunch. Moved to next one. Wasn't moving for ten minutes. Went up to check it out. "My keyboard is frozen - I am waiting for a manager." No manager. Finally, a co-worker came over and unplugged ad replugged keyboard. One more customer rung out. I'm next! Another employee comes out and announces she's closing the line to reboot the computer. I asked if she was opening up another line. No. Uh you really need to be opening up another line, we've all been waiting quite a while. I don't need to be doing anything. Well, what if we can't wait another half hour? I don't care what you do. Finally she opens another line to accomodate us, all while cursing. But she didn't move the line over, so people get all angry as they lost their place in line. No apologies, no sorry we are having such difficulty folks.

We checked out. I sent bf out with $250 of purchases. I went to service desk, and was told to wait for Junior to make my complaint. Junior doesn't come. Finally Deidre comes over, does all the right things - takes down information, acknowledges she knows who the employee was (who had no name tag, no apron). Did everything a manager should in response to a customer complaint.

But the lack of training, civility and customer focus there is truly appalling. I am going to go back to doing my small purchases at Sister's on Fulton and driving over to Lowes for big jobs. It just isn't worth it be so mistreated and ignored for the convenience of the neighborhood big box.

Okay I feel a bit better! Smile.[/url]

anonymous · December 2007

I am a longtime hater of HD, and will always go to a locally-owned store if it is at all in my best interests.

But I have to tell you that the Bed Stuy HD is *notorious* among tradespeople and contractors as the BEST, least frustrating Home Depot in the five boroughs. No BSHD employee has ever told me to fuck myself, and most BSHD employees are not just not-hostile, but sometimes even downright nice. I have never waited more than an hour. I always get what I want eventually.

It's not just me. It's everyone who deals with multiple HD's. Bless the (relatively) fine folks at the Bed Stuy HD!!!

clayfilms · December 2007

the cashiers could be better (ie..dnot make you wait get rung up until they finish that last bite of thier morning bagels & swig of coffee at the register)..but all in all it's not so bad...actually better than other home depots IMO

putnam-denizen · December 2007

Well I am glad our standards have dropped to the extent that not being cursed at is worth writing home about! I will grant that there have been days when I have left B?S HD without wishing they sold guns as well. And in retrospect the problem was more one of managing and leadership. The place simply didn't seem to have any procedures for dealing with the long lines and the line closures. That said, as a consumer rather than a contractor, I really intend to spend all my money at Lowes. After my horrible experience at HD I went over to Lowes on 2nd Avenue and altho the parking lot was very full, they also had many, many check out lines, the place was clean, well laid out, and really a hundred times nicer than Home Depot.

kevin_on_putnam · December 2007

Yeah, if we can't use the self-checkout at the Bed Stuy HD, we go to Lowe's. It's funny, I've always expected to get a hard time at a hardware store, but that doesn't mean I like it. At least a Lowe's there's a greeter at the door and the employees don't pretend to not work there when they have a vest on.

anonymous · December 2007

Bed-Stuy Home Depot is pretty bad.
Hit or miss inventory and unhelpfull if not plain rude staff. I have to convince my wife not to walk out screaming whenever we go.

anonymous · December 2007

I am just comparing Depots to Depots, people. HD to Loews or HD to a locally owned operation is always going to fail. It's just that there are things you have to get at an HD because otherwise, in the city, you'll pay through the nose. Like soil. It's the only good deal on soil I have found that doesn't involve a looooooooooooooooooooong trip out Long Island.

anonymous · December 2007

I have been to a lot of home depots and I thought the one in Gowanus was the worst but Bed Stuy is even worse

I think Home Depot should be compared to Lowes
Lowes is a big box chain store just like Home Depot
Lowes in general has a better ambiance & service then Home Depot ( I think this is true chain wide not just Brooklyn)

I find lowes to be cheaper - most recently on a folding table

I bought a 6Ft folding table at the Home Depot in Bed Stuy for $47 (used the self checkout because the 2 open cashier lines were insane). A week later I was in Lowes and same/very similar table was $35

rh · December 2007

I know Home Depot usually can't be avoided on large items, but recently I needed some sheetrock and I was determined to get it elsewhere. I called around. FYI, Park Avenue Building Supply and Franklin Building Supply both had better prices than the Po. I bought it at Franklin and they delivered it for $10 (I live a few blocks away).

supergirl · December 2007

Wow, glad I've never had to shop at a HD :shock:

No wonder its stock is going down the tubes.

What ever happened to, "You can do it, we can help" ?

jkopie · December 2007

I think the Home Depot is pretty inconvenient, although I haven't had problems with checkout (I go rarely). But I think Sister's on Fulton is terrific - genuinely friendly guys who don't feel a need to demean their customers, which seems to be the norm in hardware stores. I don't have much need for hardware, so I have no idea if their pricing is high or low, but I do like going to Sister's and always find it pleasant.

leffertsgirl · December 2007

jkopie wrote: I think the Home Depot is pretty inconvenient, although I haven't had problems with checkout (I go rarely). But I think Sister's on Fulton is terrific - genuinely friendly guys who don't feel a need to demean their customers, which seems to be the norm in hardware stores. I don't have much need for hardware, so I have no idea if their pricing is high or low, but I do like going to Sister's and always find it pleasant.

i completely agree about sister's. the guys at sister's are so helpful whenever i wander in looking lost and asking basic questions. and they always seem to have what i'm looking for even though the space isn't very big (compared to hd). sister's gets a big thumbs up from me.

The Bed-Stuy Home Depot

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