Linde

A hardware store earns its keep on the errands too small to plan for: a stripped screw, a part that shears off on a Saturday, a fix that needs to happen before the weekend is over. Having one nearby that carries more than the absolute basics can save a special trip into whichever part of the city has the bigger box stores.

Hardware stores vary in what they stock beyond the obvious basics. Some lean toward fasteners, tools and general repair supplies, others carry more in paint, plumbing fittings or yard and garden equipment, and a smaller store often makes up for a narrower shelf with staff who know exactly where something sits. If you are after a specific part, call ahead and describe it in detail, or better yet bring the broken piece with you, since a hardware counter can often match an odd size or thread faster in person than over the phone. Anyone setting up a small workshop or stocking a first toolbox should ask what is kept in regular stock versus ordered in, since that line differs from one store to the next.