Maybe some of you know this already, but Woodworker’s Warehouse filed for bankrtupty protection Tuesday night in Delaware.
If you go online and look at their list of creditors, the largest is Delta/Porter Cable at something like $4.5 million.
Maybe we’ll see some decent sales, or maybe not.
Replies
They had woman's golf and clothing stores go the same way last year. Maybe they carried that to long.
God knows there staff hasn't helped the situation (just try asking for some help, you'll get DUUUH You'll have to ask the other guy when he's here). I will never go there again (although if the price is right...).
Maybe we can see some decent prices. Why they put a store right next to an HD and charge more for the same products I'll never know.
Jim
Coventry Woodworking
I wondered if there were two WW stores in the same situation that you mentioned - next to HD, but charging more. Then I saw that you are also in MA and realized we must have visited the same store. I went in 2 or 3 times and walked out with nothing every time. Not so much because of the prices, but because the service was terrible. If I wanted to find what I needed in spite of the staff, I could have gone next door. The final straw was when I went in and started asking the manager questions about buying a table saw and band saw. I had done quite a bit of reading ahead of time and it quickly became clear that he had no interest in hearing about what I planned to do with the tools, just wanted to tell me why the 2 or 3 models I had narrowed it down to were the wrong choices. I was considering Unisaw vs. PM by the way, so who's the crazy one? Anyway, I couldn't resist the "10% off" signs and did pick up some decent clamps and a router over the weekend. Can't say I'm going to miss the store and I have heard that a new Woodcraft will be opening in West Springfield in late winter/early spring, so I won't have to drive down to CT anymore.
The one closest to me is in Leominster. Haven't been there in a while so I don't know what deals they are giving. Anyway, I stick to Rockler (Cambridge) or Woodcraft (North Shore/128 Area). Better prices, better selection, and better staff. My grandfather and I make monthly trips to both stores (I'm only 21), and they still great you, remember you, and seem interested/concerned with your current situation. I'll go check them out while I've got time to kill (broke my hand and ruptured a tendon on Sun.). Anyway, can't wait to see another Woodcraft take the place of a WW, even if it's too far a drive for me.Jim
Coventry Woodworking
Jim W,
There is a WWW about a mile from Woodcraft...also in Woburn....on Washington St. in a strip mall just past Staples...just before the entrance to 128 going north. Woodcraft is near the corner of Montvale Ave. and Washington St.
JD,
You and I are in the same area. I go to the West Springfield store to buy supplies. I decided a while ago that I would go to Woodworker's Warehouse for glue and router bits. For tools, I go to Coastal Tool in West Hartford, or the Woodcraft in Manchester, or I order from Amazon.com.
I heard from the people at Woodcraft in Manchester that, yes indeed, they are opening a new store in February in Springfield. I think it would be great if they took over the location now occupied by Woodworker's Warehouse!!
I was speaking with the manager of the Woodworker's Warehouse the other day, and he said that his store might be the location where all the local Woodworker's Warehouses send their tools and stuff for final selling. In other words, they really will be like a warehouse for a while! He said the company already has a liquidator, so the prices might go pretty low as time moves forward.
I've had my eye on the Jet 18" band saw, and I wonder if this would be a good time to get it. If we wait until after Christmas, I get a feeling that the sales might be even better than 10%.
With the "all sales are final" situation, though, I worry that if something goes wrong I won't have a way to solve the problem. Although, I assume Jet still honors its warranty no matter what???
Even though I've not been a huge fan of Woodworker's Warehouse, I feel bad for the guys who work there. Having lived through a period of unemployment myself that started right around the holiday season, I don't wish it on anybody.
Matt & JD -
Just wanted to say "hello!"...I'm also in the Springfield area. Great news that we're getting a Woodcraft. The Woodcraft website lists the opening date as Feb 1st, so I'd imagine that pretty soon they will be constructing/remodelling whatever location they will be moving in to.
Where is Coastal Tool in Hartford? Not familiar with that one.
Steven
Steve,
You have to go down to Coastal Tool! They are excellent. Great people, very knowledgeable, and they have good tools there. Their prices are very competitive. What I really like is that they have a wide variety of tools on display. They are one of the first exits off I-84, about 30 minutes South of Springfield.
Here's their Web site:
http://www.coastaltool.com
They do not post all their tools on the Web site.
Edited 12/11/2003 9:17:15 AM ET by Matthew Schenker
Thanks for the info. I usually buy my wood down in Enfield, so that's not much further down the highway.
Steven
There is a WW Warehouse about 40 min from my home in the Dover, NJ area. Went to it from time to time because they had specialty tools that I could not touch and get same day anywhere else. Never did like the manager and didn't like going there as a result but will miss a store like it, now without anything else, I'm stuck with Sears hardware, HD, Lowes and on-line stores.
The woman I spoke to today was different -- must work during the week and because I come on weekends excliusively, I'd never seen or spoken to her. She was knowledgable and explained that everything was 10% off now, future discounts will be made by the liquidator on a product by product basis and that they intent to close the doors forever no later than the end of Jan. She also relayed that the worse (lower sales) stores would close earlier and send their stock to the higher volume stores. She believed her store would be one of the last and might get delveries of stock from other stores.
She also told me she felt bad for the contractors and woodworkers that she had developed great relationships with over the years who would no longer have any place to go. Despite her obvious dissapointment, she seemed generally positive. I told her I was very sorry that she found out just yesterday that she would not have a job next year.
I just fourd out about woodworkers going under yesterday- tues. im up in Bangor maine and never liked w.w and just like what ive been hearing here in knots .high prices even when there so close to H.D. bangor store is maybe 45 sec. ride apart /6 min walk . or if somone farts at H.D. they can smell it at W.W. anyways the only reason I will miss them is same day router bits, clamps /small stuff on sale . nothing big , ive never bought any thing of high cost. even when they had chop saws on sale it was still cheaper elswhere . and ive heard from several other woodworkers they didnt get good service even when stuff was under warrenty. One short story - a friend bought a tool there and it broke soon after he boughter and they told him they couldnt help him, so a while later he was in H.D. and was talking to a sales person and just mentioned what happened and they told him to bring it in to H.D. and they would help him . he took it in and they replaced it free and they knew it was from W.W. and thats got to be the smartest thing a store can do . thats why i never bought anything big there. L.L.Bean has a great return policy also . satisfy customers and 10 people hear about it.rip one off and everyone they know will hear about it. I dont think anyone will open a good woodworking supply up here, we just got indoor plumbing. and it snows so much up here we had to cut a hole in the roof to go outside . woof Dogboy
Been to the one in Bangor a few times.
The store in Topsham, Maine is excellent. Great bunch of people who know what they are doing and will do anything to help. Sure hate to see them lose their jobs - and I'll miss going in there. New HD opening about 200 yds. away from them in Jan., 04.
Oldfred
"Great bunch of people who know what they are doing " ............ I thought the same. Bought a fair amount of stuff from 'em over the years till I moved. If more of the stores were like Topsham maybe they'd still be around.
I checked out our local WWWhse over the weekend. I didn't go shopping for anything in particular but went just to browse. What a disappointment. I could've walked out as soon as I walked in but took a slow walk around the store. There seemed to be very little stuff available and the sale prices were only 10% off. I'd been hoping to do a much better than that.
I'm guessing that they ship all the good stuff out to competitors and what's left is what's left.
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