I’ve found my alternative to Home Depot, for those of you who advocate boycotting that big-box store: OSH. Also known as Orchard Supply Hardware.
I have plenty of reasons to not like Home Depot, from their ridiculous policy of giving health care to pets but not domestic partners; to their incredibly dirty stores. I swear, just visiting there means that I have to rush home and wash my hands from all the dirt and grime all over everything.
OSH seems to have clean, neat stores as well as a far better selection of healthy plants and garden supplies. At Home Depot, you could get everything you need to build a house. At OSH, you can get everything you need to maintain it and make it a home.
I picked up a really nice teak table and four chairs yesterday, at a really nice price — and on top of that, I got three $$ off coupons as a new homeowner. Really nice.
Now, just don’t tell me that OSH gives money to anti-abortion groups or the Bush family, please.
OSH is owned by SEARS, apparently.
http://www.buyblue.org/node/1806/view/summary
Oy.
I noted while I was there that they had a kind of mini Sears appliance store. I assumed it was a co-branding thing.
I do usually buy appliances at Sears, but now that I know about their political contributions… well, 34% to Democrats is more than most big businesses, but still disappointing.
I have found that some Home Depots are spotless while others look hazardous if you just gaze upon them. My partner works at one of the spotless ones and I’ll be getting partner health insurance through him as of next week when I’m unemployed.