I think the article misses on comparable stores. They're all specialty goods, sometimes decent quality and sometimes cheap, considering what they are. I just b

I think the article misses on comparable stores. They're all specialty goods, sometimes decent quality and sometimes cheap, considering what they are. I just bought a scythe from Lee Valley. I checked out Lehman's first, but decided I wanted to try the slightly cheaper (simpler?) version at Lee Valley. I bought some kitchen tools from Lee Valley that seemed promising but broke right away. A spatula broke at the weld while trying to flip a sandwich! From then on, Sur La Table has been my first stop for kitchen stuff. For woodworking tools, they seem better quality than Garrett Wade and cheaper than Woodcraft. For hardware, they might have what I'm looking for if a place like House of Antique Hardware doesn't. Or if they both have it, Lee Valley will be more affordable. And those are just the things I shop for there.