I have found the staff at Burke Brothers to be extremely knowledgeable - something one cannot count on at the big-box stores. While they are more expensive (because they can't match the big-box's economies of scale) I gladly trade that for knowledge of their stock and of its various uses. And, often they have those arcane specialty items that big-boxes won't deign to stock (because they won't sell enough of them). They are the modern incarnation of the ""neighborhood hardware store"" and worth every penny they charge.
Pros: Service, service, service. Plenty of parking and great ambiance.
Cons: Prices are not as low as the big-box stores. They close earlier than the big-boxes do.
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