Where do most of you get all your gear? Big box or small business??

[Lwhkb]

Hi all,
just curious how most of you get all your gear?
Are you more apt to use a big box online retailer or go to a smaller local shop?
And I am asking about everything from large purchases to just picking up some rubs or even chips or pellets?
Would love to hear everyone's input.
(with the pandemic I understand more people are shopping online. but do you support a little online store more that larger online retailers?)

 

[jcoleman66]

I personally am going to try and stop using the big guys and got direct to the source if they have an online presence. Plus buy local when I can.

 

[sandyut]

primarily online. big pappa smokers for rubs and sauce. Amazon for random stuff, pellets from Dicks (they ship free and have decent sales), thermoworks direct for silicone spatulas and thermometers, . pretty much everything else - where ever I can get the best deal. Locally, I havent found much supply of the things I need for smokin. A local butch used to carry a lot of rubs, sauce and stuff, but they remodeled and got rid of most of that.

 

[Jersey Jimbo]

I prefer to go local, A's, Dick's, HD, then online. try to find the best deal. Being retired I do watch my coins.

 

[sandyut]

Being retired I do watch my coins.

I am just very frugal and seek best pricing. that will continue into retirement :-)

 

[rc4u]

i was self employed in construction from '80 - '03.. then my back so bad i opened a R/C hobby store.. sold it in '17. that bussiness is very online, but i competed fine as most thing had M.A.P. {miniumum advertised pricing} pricing.. i always try local, but here we can get from one end of town to the other in 20 minutes with traffic. i could understand city's spending an hour.. frustrating. so much easier to order..

 

[912smoker]

Prefer to buy local when possible. Very fortunate that I provide the benefits for several ACE Hardware stores down here. They can get my favorite supplies in with free shipping and the rest I order direct .
No restraunant supplies within an hr drive so Wally World is the only option if I'm in a jam

 

[Jersey Jimbo]

I am just very frugal and seek best pricing. that will continue into retirement :-)

LOL I understand that, I use to spend and not worry about cash flow, after you retire it doesn't change much but you become more aware of what things cost.

 

[Lwhkb]

Thank you everyone for your responses. As an avid smoker, grilling, food lover and all around kitchen nerd I am curious. Personally I prefer to order directly from the little guy if I can, but unfortunately some times the big box vendors are a must.

 

[crazymoon]

I live in the sticks so unfortunately there is not much "local" for me.

 

[poacherjoe]

Online

 

[Norwester55]

I buy local when possible. I don't mind driving 25 miles (rural area) and spending a few bucks more if necessary. As for rubs, seasonings etc I'd always rather buy from a smaller online retailer as opposed to the big box stores.

 

[daspyknows]

Online or local. Use Amazon more than I should because it is so easy.

 

[Fueling Around]

I make most of my rubs. The bulk spices come from dollar store, local grocery, and club stores.

Pellet pooper came from membership club as I couldn't pass up the price.
Kettle was free off the curb during clean-up week.
I get my pellets from a local box store chain. Charcoal usually from regional box store chain.
Meat is either local grocery store chain, or club stores.

 

[negolien]

amazon usually

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Pork is sourced from a very, very small one person farm, some poultry as well. The rest of my poultry comes from a local poultry farm when it's available and I can buy in bulk. Unfortunately I don't really have a local farm for beef so it's mostly from chain grocers, Sam's, and a local butcher shop. Seafood such as shrimp, blue crabs, oysters, etc. definitely comes from our coast, I usually can catch all the fish that we can eat. I don't buy meat from discount retailers such as Aldi's or Lidl's except for boneless chicken which I use in my homemade dogfood recipe.

Produce comes from the farmer's market when in season and put in the freezer, otherwise it comes from the chain grocers.

As for non-edible, non-perishable supplies, I avoid Amazon like the plague and will buy from whomever has a decent price other than them, even if it's a little more.....

 

[SmokinAl]

I live in a real small town, so almost everything I get is online.
Al

 

[bigfurmn]

I work part time for a family members small business. I try to buy local and from smaller shops when I can. I know it will be more expensive but I also know they can't compete price wise with the big box guys. On bigger purchases I don't ask them to match the online price but if they can meet me in the middle I'd rather give them the money.