Harbor Freight Tools

Well, it could be worse. There is no Northern Tool Co. (do a google for their website) around and so this is the cheap tool place to come to in town. Sears, I think still has tools but as we all know, Sears is a mere ghost of what it used to be.
For the size, nice selection and nice prices. But, it’s still Harbor Tool and on most of these things like power tools, I wouldn’t want to buy them if I were in construction and such tools would be getting heavy use.
I find the staff friendly, when you can find them. Often they’re understaffed creating long lines and frustration that it took you 15 minutes to find what you wanted but 20 minutes to pay for it.
Management has a problem, not sure what it is. Hope they fix whatever is causing the staff to go off.
The other problem is part of the store is used for storage and they have a big door that connects the store to the storage area. Then they’ll start up some paint gun or something that has fumes and likely says DO NOT USE INDOORS flood the air that the customers would kind of like to breath. So, I would say the ability to read is not a high priority for becoming a manager of this store.
Horrible, horrible parking lot. Rangeline is a busy, somewhat suicidal street to turn left on and turning right isn’t a picnic either. Narrow parking lot and then if you start to back out, factor on some idiot coming off Range Line at 45 or better MPH. Parking is a challenge. Avoid parking if possible.
Occasionally, they’ll have a sidewalk sale with a bunch of junk set out at a bit of a discount. Maybe 5% or whatever to get someone to think «Wow, what a great deal!» One of the worst things I’ve seen Harbor Tools try to push off on the unsuspecting public is a stupid generator that I believe is rated around 800 watts. Well, that’s enough to run lights but you have to mix it with oil like you’d do with a weed eater.
That is a bother. All it’s going to take is your brother in law who’s had a couple of beers and probably isn’t too bright to start with, to fill it up with regular gas and seize the little engine that likely sounds louder than a leaf blower at max.
Good and cheap I’ll say. Good and good, well, define good.