I've been covering the
clinics since the start of this blog in 2009. They are a much appreciated free activity for children. However over the past year the quality of the kits has seriously declined. This will sound petty but maybe you haven't heard or seen the frustrated parents trying to help their kids during the actual events on Saturday and Sunday.
I will add that even the store associates monitoring the events complain about the kits and the inadequate nails.
My children now complain about going to the Lowe's Build & Grow because the nails constantly bend or the holes are not drilled properly.
This weekend was no different with the El Chupacabra kit featuring the Disney Planes character.
One kit was so bad I gave up after an hour and just took the darned thing home. Yes I'm frustrated and yes I will not be going back for a while.
We never have this problem with the Home Depot kits. Never.
The nails in the Lowe's kits are screw nail or a ring shank nail. I'm guessing the basis for this decision is to make the project more secure but the darn things are hard as heck to hammer for kids or adults.
If Lowe's needs the contact information for a new kit distributor, I can help.
Home Depot uses
2238 Pleasantdale Road, Atlanta, GA 30340
The kits are designed and packaged in Taizhou City China.
I hope Lowe's will inspect the products they are distributing in the workshops and possibly rethinks the use of their current supplier.