Menards

Pro: Newly remodeled, has a lumber yard now (the old building didn’t have lumber).
Pro: Sweet new magnetic elevator for the carts.
Pro: Prices seem fair, rebate ticket shelf is always stocked.
Pro: Easy return process, even though once in a while you’ll get a younger gal who says, «You didn’t get this here.» — even though you did, just have to show her where the item is on the receipt.
Con: I can’t get a single mother f**ker to help me in the plumbing department. I was there yesterday afternoon (Wed Oct 7, 2015) and some guy from electrical gave me the old «not me dept.» routine, and never sent help like he promised. Needless to say I bought the wrong part because I was left to my own (virtually caveman-​like) knowledge about plumbing.
Came back today to return aforementioned part, and try again, no one there still.. I think the only think the plumbing dept. is missing are tumbleweeds rolling down the aisles to solidify the fact that they are seemingly abandoned by staff /​store officials.
Con: I feel kind of awkward with the way they have the new check-​outs set in place. I feel awkward walking behind the employee who is ringing me up, maybe this is some new hip fad, but I’m a Millenial and I still don’t like this.
Con: That annoying a** person who once in a while camps out with a demonstration table in the back right corner of the store by the elevator who is always trying to stop you for some sort of un-​Menards related demonstration. Bro, trying to get my home-​improvement on; no time to feel like I’m walking by the pushy Persian Hair Stylist Kiosk in the MOA. Kick rocks!

**READ BEFORE YOU SHOP** Although they have good deals in store, don’t fall for any of their rebates, whether it’s the 11% storewide or individual items. You will NEVER get a rebate on time or in the correct amount. We’ve tested this multiple times and they haven’t been accurate once. Most recent incident we spent $ 350 on 50 bags of rubber chips with a promise of $ 1 back per bag… we got back $ 23. They offer no support on the issue, the only form of contact is an email that never gets returned.

I’ve been shopping at this Menards since 2005. Before the recent expansion and remodel, I actually liked how tiny the Richfield location was. It seemed that the employees were nicer and more helpful during those days. Having said that, I’ve shopped at this location numerous times and generally only get help if I hunt someone down and ask.
Today as well as more recently, I’ve noticed that the help and friendliness has either started to shift in the right direction, or I was just asking all of the wrong people at the wrong time in prior scenarios. REGARDLESS, today (6÷18÷15) I went in to make a return on some items and dealt with a friendly and efficient sales associate. I also came in to buy some items that will help me finish a sanding/​staining project on a 100+ year old chair as a Father’s Day gift. I was offered help and given great tips that I would not have thought of on my own (remember, good ideas only seem to arrive AFTER you finish a project).
The checking out process was great, too! I was first waiting in a long line and shortly thereafter, an employee opened up another lane and notified me that I could come over to her lane. She was quick, efficient, and told a fun little story that was related my purchase.
I’ve always liked that Menards prices are lower than most of their competitors, but the service today may start to win me back as a regular!

Pretty weird but we had a brief power outage at our house during the tiny storm. The street lamps were out on our block and we checked excel energy and only about 80 houses were affected? Anyway, the bf and I checked the open hours of the nearest Menard’s and luckily there was still half an hour until official closing. Unfortunately our garage wouldn’t open but we were able to scurry on foot to our local Menard’s and pick up a battery powered lamp. Also made some impulse purchases like pepper spray, toilet paper, batteries and sleeping bag for memorial weekend to be spent up at the cabin. Employees were super helpful at pointing out where to find the lamp and sleeping bag. One of them even commented, «I see you found a sleeping bag. «as I was standing in line waiting to checkout. Upon our return the electricity was restored after about an hour, before the midnight estimate to completion the energy company gave for the fix.

Today I had some time to kill so I bought some snacks. Here is the turnstyle they have. They also have a bypass gate for chubbier shoppers. They get a ⁴⁄₅ because I have to Bag my own purchases. This isnt Cub. This Menards is new and has a 2 nd floor with a huge escalator treadmill like IKEA has. These must be expensive to install and maintain. The shore lunch was only $ 1 here. Candy just like Fleet Farm in bags.

I’ve seen the acronym NPWH to stand for Nice People Work Here in other Unilocal reviews calling out great service and friendly people. I’d like to start a new acronym based on my visit to Menards this afternoon: WPWH (Weird People Work Here).
Menards has always been a really strange store for me. Why are there always pianos in the store? Why did they pick green and yellow for their company colors? Why do they sell dishwasher detergent, pork rinds and pre-​fab homes in one stop? Why why why?
Added to the list two questions after today’s visit:
1. Why was your employee doing an impression of the Fonz while repeatedly going up and down the moving walkway/​escalator (1a. WTF is this thing, anyway?)? I don’t hate this, actually I really like weirdos, but this guy took the cake for weird workplace behavior.
2. Why wouldn’t your key making vending machine thing (2a. WTF is this thing also???) make a copy of any of my keys? They were regular, everyday keys. I don’t get it.
I left without running the one errand that I came here to do, but was entertained in the process, so that’s got to be work something, right? Or should I say «Ayyyyy?» *thumbs up*

Great place. just wanted to give a really big thumbs up to jeannie in the customer service area.
What a lucky company to have her working there.

Barb Myers in the Plumbing department is a wonderful representative of Menards. We were having a big problem with a bathroom vanity we purchased. It was poorly made and very over-​priced. It came with no directions. We actually tried to install it and after many hours went in a saw Barb and she told us to bring it back — with no box– for a full refund. We turned around and purchased a different floor model and are now very happy. Thank you Barb for your great Customer Service.
Diane & Jim

First of all — the store is too big. You waste a lot of time trying to find what you need — while they try and sell you dog food, frozen pizza, etc.
I needed 6 sheets of 5/​8″ plywood for a flooring project. The guys who work in the ‘yard’ seem to be hiding. Eventually find someone, to get 6 sheets on a fork lift.
They don’t trust the customers: You need Top Secrete security clearance to drive into the lumber yard.
When I get this home and start to lay the floor — one of the sheets is ¾″!!!

What I love about this store is that they literally have everything. What I hate about this store is that in order to get to anything you have to walk past everything and once you get there you have an excess of choices that will all seem the same and keep you up at night wondering if the tube you purchased its ¹⁄₁₂^th of an inch too thick.
The garden center is where I spend most my time, and the basic leafy houseplants are definitely a few bucks cheaper a piece than the home depot on American. On the other hand the selection might be a tad bit smaller so you might have slightly less colors to choose from on your bromeliad or only a few leafy palm starter sizes rather than a $ 10, $ 18, $ 33, $ 45 and $ 80 choices. To me that’s no big deal, I’ll take the bargain.
Other random steals I’ve enjoyed:
Fruit snacks– the best generic Gushers ever!
Pet Supplies — pet beds are ½ what you would pay at Petco
Candles — Yankee Candle knock offs may not be classy, but they smell flippin fantastic
Lastly, go on Saturday during the day. There’s nothing as wonderful as picking out spackle while being serenaded by a live grand pianist.

I used to love Menards, but this new location has made me a Home Depot guy. I agree with others that the inside is unpleasant and that many of the displays are really dated for a building that’s only a year old. The bathrooms are atrocious, painted cinder block and weekly ads stuck up with masking tape. The outside is even worse; Menards has allowed almost every tree planted last fall to die.
While I like the idea of the two-​floor format, it definitely takes some getting used to, and requires a lot of planning in the order you’re going to buy things. (There are stairs scattered around, but they’re a little hard to find, and obviously won’t help if you have have a cart.) Also, be careful with the escalator; I went with my elderly grandma and she took a tumble at the bottom of one, because you need to give the cart a bit of a shove, that she wasn’t prepared for.
Parking can also be a problem, depending on when you go. The parking lot is tight, and access is poor. It also has somewhat awkward access to 77^th and Nicollet (right-​turn-​only onto 77^th, so it’s hard to get to southbound Nicollet). There is also street parking available on the frontage road, but that’s a hike if you have a lot of stuff. They would have been much better-​served to do a small ramp on 2^nd Avenue (like the nearby IKEA). Pedestrian/​transit access is atrocious — they have a walking aisle through their parking lot that would be downright hazardous to run a wheelchair on, and is awkward at best for the able-​bodied. Bicycle access is so-​so; they do have a decent rack near the entrance.
All that said, what really sealed Menards’ fate for me was not the ugliness, but the very poor customer service. Checkouts are awkward, with you self-​bagging and facing the backside of the cashier. I do appreciate that they’re not always trying to sell you stuff (like at Home Depot), but the employees seem completely apathetic here. They are not knowledgeable or interested in helping. The worst experience I had was with paint. I had bought some paint from Menards just after it opened, and then the project got delayed. I brought the cans back to Menards to be reshaken. «Well… we only have one of those canisters, this will take FOREVER», the woman behind the counter said as she scowled at me. «Well, that’s fine…» I said, feeling awkward, but still needing my paint shaken. She put them in the shakers, and one of them ended up leaking. She took it out, loudly remarking how this is why she hates taking «random cans of paint from people’s houses». (Again, this a can I bought from Menards, that I never opened.) She slammed it down on the counter and handed me some paper towels to clean up the mess. I have never encountered a customer service experience that poor at any other store.
Despite all that, two things that do bring me into this store: electrical and landscaping concrete. Their precast retaining bricks, edging bricks, pavers, etc are cheaper than Home Depot for the same products. And the electrical outlets and switches are a brand I prefer.
For anything else, go to Home Depot.

Because I live near the Mpls — Richfield border, I have been a Home Depot patron for years, mainly due to my proximity to their location near highways 62 and 77. However, I had difficulty finding some building materials there last month (seems to be happening more often with Home Depot) which prompted me to try the brand new Richfield Menards.
Keep in mind my only prior experience with this place was watching their commercials with that dumb dumb «Save Big $ at Menards» jingle. Honestly, the jingle made me not want to shop there (and it continues while your in the store btw, over and over and over… seriously, how do the employees not revolt?). Despite the jingle, I really enjoyed my experience. Their lumber and hardware sections had EVERYTHING I needed, and most of it on sale or for respectable prices. And every area has lots of selection. The piano player near the escalator was a nice touch.
A couple of critical notes… I would prefer if things were laid out a little better. I found myself running all over the place, and that long escalator takes forever. Maybe some stairs around the store would be helpful for us able-​bodied people. And a few more employees wouldn’t hurt. There were times I needed help and could never find anyone.

I really don’t understand why a brand new home improvement store wouldn’t be at least a little attractive and up to date. It is truly one of the most ugly monstrosities I have ever had the displeasure of entering.
The «new» kitchen displays are outdated and cheap. It is a store that really doesn’t know what it wants to be with food of all sorts, cheap, kitschy yard junk, junk of all sorts. With all that they didn’t have what I had come in for Citraslov.
I used the ladies’ room — it was so awful looking with shiny industrial gray paint — ugly everything, I really don’t get it.

This is such an awesome 2 story Menards! You can run your cart up and down the cart/​people moving walkway, it’s so fun! They have a great selection of stuff and poor quality lumber. Go check it out!