I got an email from Woodcraft today, and now I'm ticked....

[Harry Hagan]

I’m crying big alligator tears for you, Jim!

[Jim Rimmer]

I live in the Houston area and it's about 20+ miles to the nearest Woodcraft plus about $7 or $8 in tolls. Unless i want to hold what I'm buying or ask questions, I order on line from WC when I need their stuff. With gas prices and tolls, it ends up being cheaper.

[Dennis Peacock]

How about 6 hour drive (one way) to my nearest Woodcraft store.....and there's not a woodworking supply in Arkansas. The closest lumber supplier for various woodworking hobby stuff now only sells to commercial businesses. I guess I could drive to Dallas, Texas to get wood.

[Bruce Page]

You’ll get no sympathy from me. They closed down our only Woodcraft a couple of years ago.

[Steve Meliza]

I tend to visit Rockler over Woodcraft because the Rockler store is only about a 1/4 mile out of the way when going home from work where as the Woodcraft store is 3 miles past the house. I'd be willing to give that all away to not be able to see any other houses from mine and have to wait for UPS to bring my Waterlox to me.

[Larry Browning]

How about 6 hour drive (one way) to my nearest Woodcraft store.....and there's not a woodworking supply in Arkansas. The closest lumber supplier for various woodworking hobby stuff now only sells to commercial businesses. I guess I could drive to Dallas, Texas to get wood.

There is one in Tulsa, which is only a 4 hour drive for you.
Surly there is a place to buy wood in Little Rock. That is only a 30 minute drive for you isn't it? If not you can come over here to Fort Smith, we have a place to buy wood.
Man! I sure wish someone would open a Woodcraft or Rockler in Little Rock. I go over there quite often, now that my son moved there.

See Jim, you don't know how good you have it.

[Erik France]

There has been a Woodcraft store on the west side of Ft. Worth, about 8 minutes from the house. The email says they are moving, to the northeast corner of the city, actually outside Fort Worth city limits. That is about 25 miles away.

I'm going to miss them too, and I probably won't get out to the new store much. I hate driving over in that area, especially from South Fort Worth. After hearing some of the distances some folks have to go, I guess I'm just spoiled. (still going to miss that store).

[Jim O'Dell]

Yeah Eric, I guess I am spoiled too. I might have to look into the Target Coatings Larry. I've seen them mentioned here a lot. I don't spray. Lately I've been using Waterlox too Steve. I was working on refinishing a chair for my wife, finally got a nice day temp wise, and low and behold the can I had was jelled. I'm sure I shook it up and/or didn't get enough Bloxygen in it, but it was a 25 minute round trip and I was working again. The Rockler in Arlington wouldn't be too bad for you Eric, but it's easily an hour and fifteen minute trip for me, plus the time in the store. The new Woodcraft location will probably be worse because of the traffic out there. Maybe they will have a moving sale by the end of the month and I can stock up on supplies!!!
Thanks for putting things back in perspective for me guys. I just read the email when I posted last night...kind of caught me off guard. They just moved to this location what 3 years ago? The used to be on the other side of the Mall. I bet some of you are right, the lease expired and the rent went up. Probably getting a place out in the northeast side cheap that a previous business failed because of all the traffic problems they have. Jim.

[David Cramer]

Mine is just over 2 miles away and I am extremely grateful. The owner has been featured in the Gallery of Finewoodworking and really knows his stuff. The staff is kind and experienced and the store is large and extremely well laid out. It used to be a dedicated flooring store and they just couldn't make it as several different companies tried. The owner moved to the current location from a location that was just over a 1/2 mile away, believe it or not. That made a huge difference as the previous location was tucked in the corner of a strip mall and was missed by many. Now he's right on Van Dyke road and directly in front of a traffic light where 1000's of people have to stop everyday (Van Dyke is very busy). That was a smart business move by him as it made all the difference in the world. I don't buy things off the internet to save .50 to a $1 on a pen kit, I buy from that store as I don't wanna be even 1% responsible for him ever having to close down. Somebody has to help pay for the lights and I don't mind as that place to me is what Cheers was to Norm Honestly, I feel badly for you Jim.

[Jim Matthews]

Is there a Rockler affiliate nearby?

It's pretty rare that I need something ONLY Woodcraft sells...

[Larry Browning]

I don't know what you guys are complaining about. There is not a single woodworking store in the entire state of Arkansas. Yet, we have a whole bunch of woodworkers. Seems like an opportunity for somebody to me.

[Rick Moyer]

Jim, I'm walking to Woodcraft, do you need anything?

Just kidding, they are actually just over an hour from me. Rockler is just under an hour. Ironically, Grizzly is closer than both, about 45 mins. I know how you feel, though. Our local hardware store where I used to live was only a few blocks away, in town, before they moved to the outskirts of town. They only moved about three miles outside of town but it seemed way more inconvenient. Made a <10 min. round trip into 1/2 hr. round trip, but it seemed like a lot longer, especially if you were in the middle of something.

[Gary Hodgin]

Nearest WC is about 35 miles from me but I'm sure glad one opened about 10 years ago. Before that, it was the internet or drive to Highland Hardware in Atlanta, about 200 miles. l still get most of my stuff over the internet, but it's still nice to have a WC reasonably close. We got a real good WC.

[Chris Padilla]

I don't know what you guys are complaining about. There is not a single woodworking store in the entire state of Arkansas. Yet, we have a whole bunch of woodworkers. Seems like an opportunity for somebody to me.

Well, it IS Arkysauce...who wants to go there?! hahahahaha

[Larry Browning]

Well, it IS Arkysauce...who wants to go there?! hahahahaha

As I recall you came out here once. It was to a Terry Hatfield picnic a few years back. You had a good time didn't ya?