"Sir Thomas of Cannondale" wrote in message
news:ULywj.2348$A93.974@trndny08...
Yesterday, I stopped at the West Marine store near Portsmouth, NH.

I must report, it was pitiful. There were two employees, one was the
check out
girl/lady.

Hardly had any paint, or paint products such as primer.

Since I've been to the store a number of times, I asked the second
employee, a man,
what was new. I mentioned that I heard on the business page report that
West had a
new CEO who was determined to turn the stores around. The employee told
me
the whole chain was getting a big time shake up, he didn't say exactly
what was going to
happen, but he seemed to think that things were going to get better.

Is it about time.

I drive all the way to Portland, Maine just to shop at Hamiltons because
West is so bad.

And I'm talking simple stuff like Paint.

Here is one example..

I need some Interlux solvent wash .. West has it for about $22 dollars.
Hamilton ?? $16.50

You would at think ?? Why get undercut by a marine store with only four
or five outlets in one state .. ??

I hope the new CEO reads this newsgroup..

ps... if you are looking for a job?? West in Portsmouth has a sign on its
front door,, looking for help.


I'll give you the inside scoop on West. They're turning into a motorboat
parts store. They are catering to the stupid, rich, numbskull motorheads who
don't have a clue. Their prices are higher even when stuff is on sale than
Boater's World, for example.

It's really rather pathetic when you go to the customer service desk to ask
about getting something they are supposed to stock like a power or computer
cord for a GPS they sell only to have them tell you they don't stock it and
advise to you go to the manufacturer's site on the Internet and order it
there.

West is no longer a sailor friendly store. Gone are the days of the nice
little store that sold economical yacht braid.

Wilbur Hubbard