Lee Valley

[Even Steven]

The fact that it doesnt move you, matters little to them.

LOL, just one man's opinion. No need to get your panties in a bunch over some store LMAO.

[Fancy]

I didn't read his post like that at all. Quite the opposite. It is a unique store and I had my eye on something but too many people for me to stick around so I will go back now that the crowd has thinned out. They had cycled through 999 customers by the looks of it and restarted the number when I left. Good sign.

[Queen K]

999 is just 666 upside down, which means when I go there I'm going to end up spending a small fortune.

Can't wait.

[dieseluphammerdown]

999 is just 666 upside down, which means when I go there I'm going to end up spending a small fortune.

Can't wait.

Well at least this year you have your new trailer to help haul things home with.

[Queen K]

That's bigger than the last trailer you bought me. How generous, what gives?

Oh I get it, you're hoping I throw a little something in there for you.

[fall]

Well, I wonder how they are doing and if they are meeting their opening expectations? I doubt it.

[Catri]

I think they're probably doing about as expected. I was in there one midweek afternoon a couple of weeks ago and business seemed to be about as steady as I've seen it in other locations at similar times/days.

[JayByrd]

My wife and I stopped in on Monday afternoon. The place wasn't rockin' but there were 20-odd customers there. My wife was looking for something very specific she'd seen in a flyer. A staff member brought out a stack of catalogues and flyers and helped her find it.

I'm no expert on retail, or the hardware or hobby industry, but I got the impression that Lee Valley caters to a very specific audience: people who have specialized needs, and aren't looking to go on the cheap. I imagine their markups are pretty huge. But they're not like a Canadian Tire, who sell a million different things for cheap, and make their profit on volume. Lee Valley probably has a large number of customers who only buy from them a few times a year, but they do keep coming back because you just can't get the stuff they need anywhere else. According to the store locator, they only have 15 retail outlets nationwide. That's really not very many.

[Lady tehMa]

I have my eye on a few garden items in there. I'll be buying some brass bits for my hoses a piece at a time - couldn't afford to do that when they were only a mail-order option for me :)

I'd say you have it nailed, JayByrd

[tsayta]

T minus xxxxx till closure

[fall]

T minus xxxxx till closure

That's kind of what I predict.

[tsayta]

Don't get me wrong. I love the place. Love the product. I appreciate the quality. Love my 2" power tenon cutters in my log furniture and railing work. Just don't think there's enough of us here to keep it alive.

[fall]

I am sure the tools are quality but there is not a huge selection, over half of the store is other random items that I can go and buy elsewhere for less, anything I looked at I know where to buy it for less, garden, kitchen etc. Some of the prices were marked up significantly. I don't like walking around with a clipboard filling out item numbers and then waiting for someone to go and get it, what a fiasco and waste of time. Again, I am sure the tools are great but this place is not for me (or anyone I know). I do frequent Save On and see people walking out empty handed. It is a weird layout and system and not very inviting to shop in my opinion. I would have to say I would be surprised if they lasted a few years.

[GordonH]

Did not go into last business in that location, have not had need to go into this business.

[60-YEARS-in-Ktown]

Good thing Kelowna is a hub that serves a very large outlying area filled with shoppers.
So its not just about us...