Menards — Local services in Louisville

Menards is basically the Wally World of home improvement stores. The store is huge, the prices are pretty good, and this is not the place to shop if you need pros.

If you need to replace your bathroom sink faucet, come here. You probably won't find a plumbing expert to give you advice or help you pick a fixture that will fit, but you will get a good selection and competitive pricing. Also, you'll find all the tools and accessories you'll need to get the job done.

This is true of the rest of the departments as well. Need building materials? Menards has a whole lumber yard out back for everything from 2x4s to drywall to shingles. Just know that you need to order the materials from the counter in the back of the store, pay at the registers up front, then drive into the yard and grab your stuff.

Also, don't count on assistance, as the employees are kept busy and may not be able to get to you. Bring a friend if you want to buy drywall, half a pallet of paver stones, or other heavy stuff.

Menards has a few surprising categories of items. For example, they sell a good selection of snacks, beverages, and even a few frozen goods. Plus, their candy section is solid.

Most of the year, there's an active mail-in rebate program. You usually mail in receipts with a form and, about three to four weeks later, get a postcard voucher. The typical rebate is 11 percent, and just about all merchandise is eligible, so you may want to factor that into your calculations when you comparison shop.

As much as I like going to Menards, I have learned from several online shopping experiences that the hassle is not worth the so called convenience. I'll pay for an order and show up in store to pick it up, only to learn that one or more items was not actually in stock. Other times, the order has been paid in full and picked, but nobody can locate it. (Once, I canceled the order and came back two or three weeks later to pick up completely different items. The employee came back with the first order. I'd already finished that project, so no need for those items.)

Basically, I ignore the online option and just go to the store. If they don't have what I want, there's a Lowe's right across the...

We have been in the store two times and both times we were unable to get the merchandise we paid for in lumber. two associates said the building materials were there to be purchased but once we paid for it and drove to the lumber yard they didn’t have the merchandise! Then we went to the front desk and they refused to give us our money back so we could go to Lowe’s to pickup what we needed. Instead they told us the store policy was to only put back on the card and that it takes 7-10 days before it would be available to us. I would suggest to think twice before dealing with Menard’s the savings is not worth the hassle because the store doesn’t have a proper way to know what actual merchandise inventory they have. We did ask the associates in the lumber department two or three times to make sure they had the exact product we needed and two of the lumber associates assured us they had the product that is why we purchased it. At least at Lowe’s or Home Depot or 84 lumber you can see what product they have and know you are getting what you have researched to purchase. I trusted the employees to know what their store had and paid for the product and then I had to find it and then when it wasn’t available forsale I had to go to the service desk and then was told sorry we don’t give cash back it has to go on your card. I remember buying 4x4 posts right before Menard’s opened at $5.00 each at Home Depot. Menards opened and we went to their grand opening to check the store out and their 4x4 posts were $14.99 each it only took a few months before Home Depot and Lowe’s raised their price of their 4x4post to match Menards price. I made sure and kept an eye to see what would happen to local lumber prices after Menards moved it. All local lumber prices went up as soon as Menards opened. I will suggest everyone to think twice before shopping at Menards. Hope Depot and Lowe’s and 84 Lumber are better quality stores and you see what they have get the product right then and don’t have to go to a back lumber yard and hope what you want is available once you pay for the product before knowing it’s...

I bought 2 exterior light fixtures on Menard's website which I did not know they were considered special ordered. I wanted to return them because they looked cheaply made. John, the manager, opened a register to a long line of customers and said he was taking credit cards. My husband and I thought he was checking people out, not processing returns. I asked if he was doing returns, and he didn't answer. Customers behind us started going to his line and when I finally realized that John was doing returns, I nicely let him know that we were in line first and didn't know he was processing returns. From the start, John had a bad attitude, and I could tell he was angry. He acted like we were stupid. Then we sat there for 15+ minutes while he tried to find my order from the email confirmation I had received. First John said that I didn't have the right order or items. Then, he kept saying he couldn't find my items to return them. Next, he called Gina over who was equally as rude. From the start, she had a scowl on her face as if she was mad for no reason. She was looking in the computer for about 5 minutes, and I had to ask her twice what the issue was. She ignored me the 1st time. The 2nd time she rudely said she could not find my order. After about 10 more minutes, I asked why this was taking so long since I had an email confirmation. At this point, Gina started mouthing and left. When I asked her name, she turned around and rudely said her name. At this point, manager Taylor came over, and he was able to find my order within a few minutes. I told him the issues I had with John and Gina, and he didn't seem concerned and acted like he didn't believe. I am new customer to Menards, so this ordeal was very disappointing!! I expected much better and quicker customer service.

I emailed Kim on the same day of their response, and they ignored me. This is further proof that they just don't care about...