As I have mentioned more than once (I know you’re probably tired of hearing about it already and I’m sorry for that but dude, it’s a big project and I need to talk about it) we have just bought a house and are now in the process of updating it a bit before we actually move in. Important living essentials like getting an interweb connection have been taken care of but there are still lots of little things that need to be done.
There are still lots of things to buy and lots of things to do to the house. We have a fantastic contractor doing the heavy lifting for us (and the painting too because well, I’m just not skilled). If you’re lucky I might give you her number when our project is done. So while she’s doing things like knocking out walls and building closets we’re supposed to be buying all the necessary goods and supplies. Thus I am the mayor of the Bashford Manor Lowe’s. I’ve been to Lowe’s more in the past month than I have over the past 5 years. However someone recently gently chastised me by saying, and I’m paraphrasing, “hey Michelle there are local stores that sell that kind of stuff. You don’t have to go to the big box stores. Their prices are competitive with the chain stores in most cases. Since you’re all about local you should check them out.” Ouch and also fair enough.
The catch here is that I haven’t done a lot of shopping for lighting fixtures and sinks and the like to know what local stores to go to. I mean, I know Lowe’s and Home Depot have all that stuff, I don’t know about some little store off of Hurstbourne Lane that has the coolest sink basins or whatever. So local friends I’m asking you to school me in this area. I’m going to give you a list of things that we still need for the house and I’m asking for your help to figure out where I can find them here in town while avoiding the big box chains. One note, I have been to all the small hardware stores (Horton’s, St. Matthews, etc) and have purchased several items from them. So if it’s still on this list I can’t find what I’m looking for at a hardware store.
House needs list
- Lighting fixtures: We need lots of general overhead single bulb lighting fixtures as well as a replacement for the old track lighting that currently hangs over the bar. We also need a kick ass chandelier/whatever for the dining room.
- Sink and stand for sink to go on: the sink in the guest bathroom is cracked and needs to be replaced. We’d like to get a really cool sink basin and put it on top of a cool cabinet of some sort.
- Kitchen/Bath Caulk in Charcoal or Black
- A completely awesome mailbox. Don’t ask me why but having a cool mailbox is very important to me. I have looked at mailboxes like mad and have only fallen in love with one. I found it on the interwebs, it is absolutely charming and I refuse to buy it because it costs $200. So if you can help me find a mailbox, locally, that’s charming like that one is and doesn’t cost $200 you’d be a hero to the cause.
- White porcelain 4 inch drawer handles. I found perfect white porcelain knobs for the cabinet doors but am having trouble finding matching drawer handles.
OK I think that’s everything on the list for the moment. Advise me folks, I need your help. Thanks!
January 8th, 2010 at 8:59 am
There is a place called Habitat Restore on Floyd St. near Papa John Stadium…if you don’t mind wiping some dust off of items or getting a bit dirty while looking…it has unique stuff, good prices and it benefits our local Habitat organization.
January 8th, 2010 at 9:02 am
Excellent John! Thanks so much. That definitely sounds like someplace we should check out and I don’t think I’ve ever heard of it before. You sir are helpful and awesome.
January 8th, 2010 at 10:06 am
… i know this isn’t the proper place for this, but i have a question…
is the millionth egg thing still going on at wild eggz or did somebody hit the jackpot already? im going there tomorrow and if the milestone hasn’t been met yet, im going to reach it…
i’ll say that the first part of this post is a sidenote…
what i really wanted to say was, “i like all the pics of your house. it looks like a fun place to live”
January 8th, 2010 at 10:42 am
LOVE that mailbox!!
We got a lot of the lighting for our house at Brecher Lighting on Hurstbourne Lane. They have a good selection of traditional and modern, plus they can order just about anything you can find online.
January 8th, 2010 at 11:05 am
There are locally owned businesses that carry the same things that Lowe’s does, but most of them are still manufactured somewhere else.
One thing that we discovered about Lowe’s is they DO carry local manufacturers of windows and doors. And we have considered using them when we get the 30bazillian bucks it is gonna cost for that project.
Have you shown your contractor that mailbox? If she can’t make it, she might know someone who can, it is very nifty, but I am sure it could be created for less than 200 bucks (and locally too!)
January 8th, 2010 at 11:06 am
My parents are crazy DIYers and have been renovating and re-renovating their 1920s bungalow, located in the Highlands in the neighborhood between Btown & Taylorsville Rds for 35 years.
As a result, I could tell you pretty much anywhere to buy anything that has to do w/home repair. They buy a lot of their stuff at the big box stores, but they patronize the locals when they can, and the locals are great for specialty stuff. For instance, when my husband & I moved into our house in Clifton, my dad took the lock out of our front door and Willis Klein in St. Matthews was able to rekey it for us while we waited.
Here’s a list of some of the businesses they’ve patronized and that we’ve used too. I haven’t bought stuff at all of them, so I can’t say anything about the level of customer service, but they are all local.
Plumbing stuff & fixtures: http://www.plumbers-supply-co.com/
Sinks, hardware, whatnot: http://www.willisklein.com/
Lights: Rueff Lighting Co – http://www.rueff-lighting.com (their web page is broken)
523 East Broadway, Louisville – (502) 583-1617. I’ve heard Brecher is good too.
Cool old bits (like drawer pulls etc.): Architectural Salvage: http://www.architecturalsalvage.com/home.asp
If you haven’t been to Keith’s Hardware on Btown Rd., many members of my friend Neil’s family have worked there or still are working there.
Happy remodeling!
January 8th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
I know it’s not local and a bit of a haul, but I got every bit of lighting for my new kitchen/bath at IKEA in Cincy. And for, like, peanuts. My fancy-pants-looking pewter chandelier was under $45. My three pendant lamps were $16 each. My cool art-deco hall pendant lamp = $24. I found local lighting stores to be insanely expensive. I’m ALL for shopping local, but I can’t pay a 50% markup over what you can get the same fixture for online. The Restore can be awesome– there’s a good chance you’ll find caulk there. I know I recommended this before (tho it is also crazy expensive) the Craftsman store near where the old Wild Oats used to be has GORGEOUS stuff. There’s a place by Rainbow Blossom on Lex that has great sinks and tubs and stuff. I found my bath sink online at either Lowes or HD– they have a much bigger selection online than in stores– and the local Lowes ordered it for me. I think that was a free service.
I’m totally guilty of not shopping local (except, you know, all the labor/contractors and stuff and my cabinets) when I rebuilt my kitchen/bath. But on my kind of budget, I just couldn’t pay the premium.
January 9th, 2010 at 6:21 am
We also live in an old house in the Highlands, and my husband is a handyman/remodeler, so we’re always looking for good buys on home stuff! I’ve heard good things about Habitat Restore, but haven’t had a chance to check it out. Hubby usually goes to Horton’s and Bashford Manor Lowe’s (they know him by name at both places), and he’s also found very cool stuff at Architectural Salvage on Broadway. We try to buy local whenever possible, but since he’s a frequent buyer at Lowe’s, he can sometimes negotiate great markdowns with them (i.e., he once got a Pella Window for $50 because they wanted to get rid of it).
January 10th, 2010 at 9:47 am
Thanks for all the excellent suggestions everyone. I’m planning to check out Architectural Salvage and Habitat Restore. Willis Klein is already on the list for getting new locks.
And Scott I checked with the Wild Eggs folks and that contest is still ongoing. No one has won yet so run get yourself some eggs! If you win though I think you need to take me for at least one of your free breakfasts.
January 11th, 2010 at 8:12 am
Brecher’s Lighting on Hurstborn.
http://www.brecherslighting.com/
They have some friendly and helpful employees, and some of the products they carry are still made in the US! No, really.
January 11th, 2010 at 9:50 am
check out BLUEGRASSGREEN on east market…
http://www.bluegrassgreenco.com