Princess Auto

First of all, let me say that «Princess Auto» is a bit of a misnomer. Besides a few light bulbs and some basic electrical parts, you can’t buy many auto parts there (There are no brake parts, no starter motors, alternators or suspension parts, for example.) And «Princess»??? What’s up with that? The «Princess» in the name kept me from going the store when I first moved to Ottawa from BC for at least a week. Then I got my hands on the flyer. I was in.
To be completely sexist, it’s totally a guy place. A tinkering, wrenching, dirty hands on, Tim the toolman kind of guy place. If you like to build stuff, this is it. Welding equipment, a pretty complete hydraulics department, compressors and complete small engines? Check.
Car lifts? Metal rod? Trailer parts? Check, check and check.
And tools. Lotsa of tools. The «Power Fist» (yeah, I know) brand is a budget line and some of these are iffy. Their «Pro point» line is much higher quality and matches or exceeds some of the better known name brands. I used to swear by Mastercraft and Sears hand tools,
(Snap-​on is for poseurs.) but no more.
And then there is the surplus section. Here’s where you can get HDMI cables for low, low prices. BB guns. A drone. Even some Apple Istuff accessories, but only a generation or two back from the latest.
Weaknesses? Well the surplus department is just that, so I regret not buying more reading glasses when they had a pile for sale. I lost or broke a couple of pairs, but there’s none left at PA. Boo hoo.
More seriously, the fastener department is not great. As in nuts and bolts. They have a selection of middle to large size bolts (And nuts and washers.) but don’t look for anything smaller than ¼″. I would like to see the #6-#12 sizes.
The snacks in the check out line are overpriced and some might be a decade old.
But the gleaming wrenches, super sales, and no hassle return policy keep me coming back for more!

Big boys Toy Store!