# What's your putzing-around store? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 19, 2017, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239 "2017-02-19T18:43:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![CoastalMaineiac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@CoastalMaineiac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoastalMaineiac)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239/41 "2017-02-20T12:19:51Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I’ll go local. > > Buckdancer’s, a local music store, as in instruments. They let you play anything you want. there’s always an amp hooked up and you can just grab a guitar off the wall, sit down, plug in and make some noise. Or you can play a $3,000 Martin in the acoustic room. They do repairs, lessons, a guy who used to work there is producing my band’s EP … it’s a cool place. > > Bullmoose Music, a local music/book/movie/video game store. Actually, I’m not sure just how local it is. There are two locations that I know of. I don’t know how much of a franchise it is. > ETA: I see \*\*CoastalMaineiac \*\*calls it a “Maine chain.” I’ll go with that. According to [their website](https://www.bullmoose.com/content/locations), they have nine stores in Maine and three in New Hampshire. I didn’t know they had any locations outside of Maine. I most frequently find myself in their Bangor and Waterville locations. Their Scarborough location is the best I’ve been in, though, in terms of size and selection, but that one’s over two hours from home. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239/42 "2017-02-20T12:26:24Z")
Artsy-crafty stores like Michael’s or A. C. Moore. I’m not interested in starting any new projects, but I like looking at the variety of stuff one finds in these stores. Even when I go in one to buy a specific item, I find myself wandering around, just looking. Maybe I’m easily distracted by the sparkly and the shiny… ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239/43 "2017-02-20T12:31:49Z")
Definitely Amazon. Find a bar, order a beer, and window shop Amazon from my barstool. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239/44 "2017-02-20T13:09:33Z")
Guitar shops Book shops Antique shops I never know what I might find. The best is an antique shop that doesn’t specialize in guitars or books but picked something random up they don’t fully understand 😉 ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239/45 "2017-02-20T13:09:52Z")
Goodwill or Bethesda. Like going rummage shopping indoors. Also Menards, looking for one or two project ideas. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239/46 "2017-02-20T13:22:20Z")
Wal Mart. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239/47 "2017-02-20T13:42:01Z")
A cookshop (I have a bit of a utensil fetish) or a computer store so I can look at the latest gadgets. Better than both, charity shops, if they are available. Or I might not shop at all - I might prefer to spend the time sitting in a coffee shop, people-watching. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239/48 "2017-02-20T14:09:38Z")
A local indie bookstore is the gravity well that draws me in. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239/49 "2017-02-20T15:12:29Z")
Used to be electronics/computer stores - Best Buy, Circuit CIity, Comp USA, Fry’s. But they’ve either all folded or turned into some sort of uninteresting hybrid of music/DVD/cellphone stores, with tiny selections of bog-standard computer stuff and appliances. Nowadays, it’s probably a specialty/high-end grocer, or maybe a kitchen equipment/restaurant supply store. Sometimes it’s a hardware type store- Lowe’s, Home Depot, local hardware stores (where I can find them). Honestly though, when I end up in that situation, I usually end up at one of the all-in-one big box stores like Target or Wal-Mart, as it always seems like there’s a series of shopping lists in various categories accumulating for the house, and I can cover all of them at one place if I go to one of them. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239/50 "2017-02-20T15:40:05Z")
1. Bookstore; Indie/2ndHand if available 2. Electronics/Photo 3. Secondhand/Thrift store 4. “Dollar” store ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239/51 "2017-02-20T16:07:56Z")
As much as I enjoy home improvement, kitchen, book, office supply and weird stuff stores, my favorites are Tacoma Screw and Fastenal. Hardware junkies dream and puts the big box stores to shame with their selection. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239/52 "2017-02-20T16:25:02Z")
> [@CoastalMaineiac](#): > > According to [their website](https://www.bullmoose.com/content/locations), they have nine stores in Maine and three in New Hampshire. I didn’t know they had any locations outside of Maine. I most frequently find myself in their Bangor and Waterville locations. Their Scarborough location is the best I’ve been in, though, in terms of size and selection, but that one’s over two hours from home. I was aware of the Scarborough store – yeah, that one’s good – and the Brunswick store, but now that I think about it, they opened one in South Portland a few years ago. I used to live right around the corner. It completely slipped my mind. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239/53 "2017-02-20T16:33:44Z")
#1 all-time winner is [American Science and Surplus](https://www.sciplus.com/) in Milwaukee. Need a pair of cardboard binoculars? A 500mL filtering flask? Some French military suspenders? Maybe an RF Microwave meter? They’ve got you covered, and then some. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239/54 "2017-02-20T17:09:23Z")
Art supply store Music store (instruments/accessories/scores, etc.) Used bookstore Stationery store, if there are any left. ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239/55 "2017-02-20T17:19:24Z")
[Heathrow Duty free stores](http://www.heathrow.com/shops-and-restaurants/shops-a-z/world-duty-free) ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239/56 "2017-02-20T17:45:39Z")
Guitar Center is a great favorite of mine for this. They let you play all you want. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239/57 "2017-02-20T18:07:30Z")
1. Hardware store (includes Tractor Supply, in my book) 2. Thrift shop/flea market ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239/58 "2017-02-20T18:34:15Z")
> [@PoppaSan](#): > > Goodwill or Bethesda. Like going rummage shopping indoors. Also Menards, looking for one or two project ideas. I can kill a lot of time in Menards. Especially during gardening season. I like to look at all the plants and wish I had room to plant them. I used to go to Williams-Sonoma but the one by me closed so now I spend a lot of time at Michael’s. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239/59 "2017-02-20T20:32:07Z")
Guitar stores. If I’m stuck somewhere with a couple of dead hours, especially out on business travel, I’ll see if there’s a place nearby that I can fiddle with the merchandise and rehearse my random assortment of classic rock riffs. Stop me if you’ve heard this one…“She was a fast machine, she kept her motor clean…” ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239/60 "2017-02-20T21:24:37Z")
Used bookstore is my first choice, and a regular bookstore is my second. If they have to be different kinds of stores, I’ll say Target as my second choice. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-putzing-around-store/780239.md?page=4)