Harbor freight moves into my flea market building

[earthmover1980]

I find it very ironic that the local flea market where I have scored many deals on vintage American Made tools has closed up, then Harbor freight moves in! I liked the local availability of flea market tools in a storefront on 131. Bought many neat vintage tools there, including a set of 1/2 drive Mac shallow chrome sockets for $20. A vintage set of Blue Bird battery service tools, numerous files, odd wrenches and more. Now it's gone way to more Harbor freight stuff. I just don't see how American Made tools even have a fighting chance. I guess I am down to less options.

 

[jd_1138]

I get my quality used American made tools at yard sales and garage sales. Also, there's an outdoor flea market where you can snag some good tools for next to nothing. I bought 10 American made pristine vise grip pliers for like $5 at a yard sale last month. I gave my friend a couple pairs that he needed. He offered to pay me, but I said they were on the house.

The indoor flea markets tend to **** around here (picked over, overpriced).

HF does have a few decent items. I like their ratchets (composite, or the roto style, or Pro style). Not the cheapies they also carry. Their impact sockets are a good value.

 

[davethorik]

I thought you meant someone selling cheap HF **** at the flea...lol...but sorry to hear that.

There are 2 "tool booths" at a local flea that have the free stuff HF gives away, priced from $2-$5. Nobody ever buys the ****, HF literally 5 minute drive away so if you absolutely have to own the world's shittiest tape measure RIGHT NOW, just drive down the road...

Why even bother renting the booth every week?? I'd rather see the booths rented to someone who isn't a flagrant scumbag.

 

[bubinga]

I find it very ironic that the local flea market where I have scored many deals on vintage American Made tools has closed up, then Harbor freight moves in! I liked the local availability of flea market tools in a storefront on 131. Bought many neat vintage tools there, including a set of 1/2 drive Mac shallow chrome sockets for $20. A vintage set of Blue Bird battery service tools, numerous files, odd wrenches and more. Now it's gone way to more Harbor freight stuff. I just don't see how American Made tools even have a fighting chance. I guess I am down to less options.

That *****.
@ 1st. I thought it was a thread about a vendor at your flea market selling a lot of HF items.
We have one here. He uses the discount coupon's when he can, get free items, (with help of the wife and kids,so more than one a day)

Then jacks them up a few bucks over HF''s regular price.
He seems to do pretty well too.
The things that helps him though, is the closest HF to us, is about 45 minuets one way.
he's a nice guy though, I'm not "down on him" or anything.
I even brought A HF item or 2 off of him. I think he even cut me abt. $1.00 break, IIRC on a pair of HF wire strippers. I still paid more than HF, with sale or Coupon, but l was fine with it.
Now, we have a fellow there, that sells lots of Proto and channel loc tools.
(Guess where they come from)
I normally don't like to "gloat" about "flipping" things, but I did find a Stanley # 7 ,looked to be in pretty good shape. paid $15.00.
Kept it a while, but desperately needed some $$$$ for "good Old" bills. Cleaned it up A little, and ended up getting $90.00 for it on CL.
Can't wait for the Flea market's to start up again!!
Mostly don't shop the F/M to flip, mostly for old(er) tools at good prices.
starting to ramble, thanks for reading.
pretty sure I got a pair of "Blue Bird" battery pliers too.

 

[Musicinabottle]

America loves Harbor Freight. I just can't wait until people start just passing over the vintage American made classics to get another fix of cheap Chinese goods, so that I can come along and pick up the unwanted vintage tools! I've never stepped foot in a HF and never will. Just not my style.

 

[Richard Cranium]

harbor freight has it place, I just don't like to go the their place

 

[3baygarage]

Sorry to hear this.

In case you missed the rant several years back, my old flea was closed and torn down to make way for a bigger badder Wally world. Thanks Walmart!

 

[bubinga]

Sorry to hear this.

In case you missed the rant several years back, my old flea was closed and torn down to make way for a bigger badder Wally world. Thanks Walmart!

Closed the big one here, old drive in, to sell or lease to Oil Gas Workers.
It's just all about money.

 

[Musicinabottle]

Anyone from my area, whose been here awhile remembers the Sagle Flea market. Closed for a new storage unit place. Another blight on the land like billboards, which popped up here in droves a few years back. Money whores.

 

[6PTsocket]

I thought you meant someone selling cheap HF **** at the flea...lol...but sorry to hear that.

There are 2 "tool booths" at a local flea that have the free stuff HF gives away, priced from $2-$5. Nobody ever buys the ****, HF literally 5 minute drive away so if you absolutely have to own the world's shittiest tape measure RIGHT NOW, just drive down the road...

Why even bother renting the booth every week?? I'd rather see the booths rented to someone who isn't a flagrant scumbag.

I ran into that myself at the Englishtown flea. A guy was trying to get a few bucks for the HF freebie tape measure. You see the freebies on ebay, too along with more expensive HF stuff for more than HF gets for it. I still run into people in the big box stores that have never heard of HF. We live on a different planet.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[bonneyman]

I find it very ironic that the local flea market where I have scored many deals on vintage American Made tools has closed up, then Harbor freight moves in! I liked the local availability of flea market tools in a storefront on 131. Bought many neat vintage tools there, including a set of 1/2 drive Mac shallow chrome sockets for $20. A vintage set of Blue Bird battery service tools, numerous files, odd wrenches and more. Now it's gone way to more Harbor freight stuff. I just don't see how American Made tools even have a fighting chance. I guess I am down to less options.

Don't want to hijack your thread, but I'd love to see your set of BB tools.

 

[bczygan]

I wish the hell they would build one here in the city of Detroit. Closest ones are in the suburbs. Makes it hard to use coupons every day.

On the other hand, I will soon have enough of their stock, to open my own HF!

Bill

 

[Empty Pockets]

All I ever buy at HF are consumable items. It's rare I buy tools there. I still get quality previously enjoyed tools at auctions, flea markets and yard sales.

Sadly, HF does have it's place in the market

 

[Shelbylex]

I think that HF has its place in the market. The only sad thing is that a lot of things sold there are not US made.
I think of HF as a niche store which provides us with cheap tools which are good enough for limited use (I could be wrong as I did not evaluate all their tools, they might have good quality lines there).
Example: I needed to redo the floor in guest room which was making noises when somebody walked on it. The floor specialist installing the carpet with his crew tried it and told me that he can not do it and it requires a specialist and removal of floor boards (I feel that we are getting more people in this country who have a very peculiar genetic abnormality. Considering that I see more and more of these people around I suspect that either they are cross breading or there is something in the water affecting population. They all have one thing in common - the hands are growing not out of their shoulders, but rather out of their ....) Well, I decided to learn the mysterious trade and fix the floor. I needed a knee kicker and the tool to pin sides of the carpet down next to the wall. I found a much better deal in HF when compared to Home Depot,Lowes or even used tools on CL. Never mind 20% discount from HF which made it even better... I used those tools, they functioned well. I might use them once again in the future. Money saved, job done right...

 

[Shelbylex]

Now we come to an interesting political and economical issue here:
May be Globalization is good and improves economies, well being, etc. I am, honestly, not sure. I feel that the majority people who benefit from it are financiers, CEOs, management and foreign workers. May be it's the sign of being old, but I feel that quality of a lot of things is going down, prices are going up and I really do not see an average Joe living much better. (Well, this is at least my opinion, I could be wrong...). As a simple guy with no power I can not influence or change the world. However, I feel that we should take care of our country and people first and then help create prosperity for other people in the world (really rich will remain rich no matter what...).
Thus, I would rather buy a good quality old tool from my neighbor, a retired mechanic selling something on CL or somebody around than to buy a brand new similar or inferior quality foreign tool from some store. I either save money for myself or pay similar and money goes to the person in our country who sells the tool (thus supporting our families and neighbors) rather than buy a shiny tool and support CEOs private jet, management golden parachutes and a factory full of poor workers abroad (I still feel bad for them, but my country and my people come first. After we are all in great financial shape,have free education for people who study well and free medical care for all, I am two hands up to help less fortunate people in other places...)
The only weak part of my idea is possibility that if we all buy just local, our industry might have no incentive to improve. As an example. did you even notice how the cars imported from Japan outlast significantly the cars by the same company produced here?

 

[bubinga]

They need one in Wheeling WV too.

 

[jd_1138]

What's with their stupid name -- Harbor Freight? Ever wonder why they chose such a dumb name that sort of emphasizes the fact that most of their stuff arrives from China to a port in California?

They have too much brand recognition to change it now. Lol

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

JD it’s sort of like Princess Auto in Canada. Never seen a Princess within the store or even in the parking lot.

 

[jd_1138]

JD it’s sort of like Princess Auto in Canada. Never seen a Princess within the store or even in the parking lot.

Maybe it's called Princess Auto because if one fixes up their car, they can attract a ********* to be their girlfriend?

 

[bubinga]

What's with their stupid name -- Harbor Freight? Ever wonder why they chose such a dumb name that sort of emphasizes the fact that most of their stuff arrives from China to a port in California?

They have too much brand recognition to change it now. Lol

true.

JD it’s sort of like Princess Auto in Canada. Never seen a Princess within the store or even in the parking lot.

LOL.........Funny!

Maybe it's called Princess Auto because if one fixes up their car, they can attract a ********* to be their girlfriend?

There Y'a go!

 

[Provincial]

Harbor Freight started out as "Harbor Freight Salvage." A fellow bought damaged stuff and broken package imported tools from the Long Beach, CA shipping companies. Probably stuff that the insurance companies had paid off. He started buying direct from the Asian manufacturers, and his heir is now a multi-millionaire.