Mt. Ida True Value: A Shopper’s Perspective

Why You Should Visit

• Exceptional Customer Service: You’ll encounter incredibly helpful and friendly staff. Multiple reviews highlight the willingness of employees like Lindsey, Ted, Kenny, and Clayton Reed to go above and beyond to assist customers, offering advice and product knowledge. I’ve personally experienced their patience in answering questions, even those from a female customer seeking guidance on home improvement projects. Expect to be asked if you need help, a stark contrast to other home improvement stores.
• Extensive Product Selection: This isn’t your average hardware store. You’ll find a surprisingly wide range of products, exceeding expectations for a small-town establishment. The store boasts a huge garden section, a significant hunting and fishing department, along with standard hardware, paint, plumbing, construction, and electrical supplies. I even saw a substantial mosquito repellent section! Guns and ammo are also available.
• Convenient Location & Local Support: The store conveniently saves trips to larger towns like Hot Springs or Glenwood. Supporting this True Value means supporting a local business appreciated by its community.
• Competitive Pricing (with exceptions): While some products are competitively priced, offering local bargains that outcompete national averages, be prepared to encounter some exceptionally high prices. For instance, I paid a significant amount ($80) for just one gallon of exterior paint.
• Store Cleanliness and Organization: The store is generally well-organized and clean.

Why You Might Consider Alternatives

• Inconsistent Loading Dock Assistance: Be aware that getting assistance loading heavy items from the loading dock can be unpredictable. I and others have experienced significant delays (over 20 minutes) or even complete lack of help in loading materials. It’s advisable to be prepared to load purchases yourself.
• Inconsistent In-Store Assistance: While staff is generally helpful, there’s a chance that you may have difficulty finding assistance when you have specific questions. The level of assistance varies greatly.
• High Prices on Select Items: As noted, some items have substantially higher prices than average, indicating potential price gouging in certain instances. Compare prices before committing to purchases, especially for larger items. The discrepancy in pricing is considerable. The inconsistent weight of the sand bags delivered shows lack of quality control
• Potentially Unprofessional Staff Interactions: While most interactions are positive, I’ve heard that the way issues are handled can be quite unprofessional. One review describes a frustrating experience related to underweight sandbags where the staff’s response was dismissive and insulting rather than apologetic.