Well, it seems like all Black & Decker Factory Outlet stores are closing, with many stores already closed.
My father is quite the fan of Black & Decker outlet stores, and you know what, I can see why. I visited one of the outlets in Reading PA a couple of months ago on my way home from somewhere, and it was a nice outing. There was a nice selection of Stanley hand tools and tool boxes, and the prices seemed reasonable. Actually, it seems like there were many more Stanley tools than Black & Decker-branded ones.
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I remember going with my father to buy a Black & Decker Workmate at an outlet store years ago. It’s still in great condition and I like to borrow it every now and then. The stand is maybe 12-18 years old, and I believe there’s a made in Canada label somewhere on it.
Be warned – now that the stores are closing, there’s some funky pricing going on. My father, who gave me the heads-up that 3 regional locations are closed or closing, reported that the price on an outdoor extension cord he picked up a couple of weeks ago has increased. Great, so the liquidators are offering a discount on remaining stock but first raised the prices.
Will anyone really miss the B&D outlet stores? Yes. Will B&D lose any business? Probably not. I imagine that sales at these locations just weren’t enough to keep the outlets open in today’s world.
Mrs. ToolGuyd
I just realized that there was a B&D outlet in the same building as a D&B outlet.
I’ll see myself out.
Adam
I used to go to our local one (Rockvale Outlets Lancaster,PA) a lot. Then Stanley bought them out and it seemed like the deals were no longer there and that it became more of a Stanley store than a B&D store. I stopped going a while ago, but I might check them out and see if there are any deals to be had.
I have had good luck with all of the B&D recon. tools I’ve bought there.
Bob A.
I think online stores like CPO are winning out over B&M store like this one for B&D (and D&B). They just don’t get the ROI.
PutnamEco
I have fond memories of their Little Falls NJ location. Back in the day when Black & Decker still made tools in the US. As I was a frequent customer I often received T-shirts, ash trays and other promotional items. It was a sad time for me when they moved the last of their Industrial and Professional lines over to the Dewalt brand. I frequented them less and less as I was forced to seek professional tools elsewhere. I did stop in from time to time to keep stock of drill bits and for the occasionally purchase of disposable tools that were destined for abuse. I used to get those orange plastic and later off green drills, saws, and sanders as factory rebuilds really cheap, I remember paying around $12 or $13 for the drills and picking up the saws for around $20, at those prices it was easy to consider them as disposable. Some of those tools did put in quite a showing, taking massive abuse before they finally gave up the ghost.
fred
As you say – back in the day – these were good places to shop. Porter Cable had a service center in Queens – along the Long Island Expessway, B&D a store on 23rd St in Manhattan, and one in Hisksville LI, and Skil had their place on Varick Street in Manhattan. They all had recon/re-built tools at what was then very attractive prices (no Internet competition) and much better than the discounts a small business could negotiate with industrial suppliers – they would also “ship” to NJ and you could save the sales tax.
Blair
Back in the day (the 80’s), when I was working commercial, I picked up a B&D “speed demon” hammer drill at the outlet store, reconditioned, for about $40.00. That included the metal case, the side handle, and a couple of masonry bits. I still have it, and it is my “go to” drill when the drilling gets tough….lol.
In all seriousness, I miss that shop, over the years I have bought a lot of things there, and even had my DeWalt drill/driver charger replaced there.
One year my dad, (departed), and I purchased a toaster oven there for a Christmas preasent for my mom……..
Now I even miss it more……
Roger
I remember in the early part of the 80’s, buying a Black and Decker corded drill that is 100% made in USA. Oddly enough, even after 30 or so years, this drill works fine and even more interestingly enough, I’ve never had to have this drill serviced or have any issues with this. This is likely the final item I’ll ever own in my lifetime that is 100% made in USA from Black and Decker.
I have owned the Black and Decker Air Station 9527 and now currently own the Black and Decker 9528. Both are technically made in USA, but not entirely. The hose and the clamp were made in Taiwan and the motor inside was made in Mexico.
For me, it’s really sad to see Black and Decker products these days, as none of their items are made in USA anymore or even partially made in USA anymore. I own the 2005 Black and Decker Dust Buster and I’ve had to literally rebuilt that entire vacuum and replace most of the internal and external compartments. Needless to say, I’ve had more issues with a Black and Decker item from 2005 then I have had with a Black and Decker item from 1985.
Back when Black and Decker bought out Dewalt, I had a feeling this would be the end of the Black and Decker I knew forever and sadly that is the case. Then they bought Porter Cable and eventually Stanley products. Back in the day, these were all exceptional brands, including Dewalt and Stanley.
In one sense this is really sad, but in a another is a sign of the times.
Glenn Griffin
All merchandise left at other B&D Outlets is being shipped to the B&D Outlet in the Shops of Grand River in Leeds, AL. It’s the only one still open. It will close when it’s all gone. I suspect this location was chosen because it’s only two years old and the lease has longer to run. They combined a B&D Outlet with a Pro Tool Clearance Outlet (Dewalt, Bosch and Porter Cable) and are using one of the stores as a warehouse for merchandise shipped in from stores that are closed. An employee told me that it’s cheaper to sell discontinued merchandise on the internet. Nothing beats being able to look at the items–especially ones that you are unfamiliar with.
P Hill
no, they chose to send to the location w/ the rudest employees. I have been to most these stores and before Stanley bought B&D had been in more that had been closed than were then open. Did biz at the stores for almost 25 years, si this is almost a cultural change for me. Oh well, at least we still have the TTI/Ryobi/Direct Toll stores!!
Donald V Moroni
all the tools are made in china and they are all carp china does not do good work
Stuart
I agree – carp tools don’t work very well at at. Tuna tools on the other hand, wow!
Ginger Sloan
My father swore by Black & Decker tools. He had his own construction business in the 60’s and would buy nothing but B&D. I remember, when I worked for him that he had tools repaired at a local B&D store. In the mid 80’s I worked at Corporate B&D in Hunt Valley, MD. They hired an idiot to run the Professional side. He did not like the older salesmen and made it impossible for them to work for B&D. They were of the old school and had great sales. When he took over and I observed what he was doing, I was surprised that he got away with it. I guess the powers above approved. I looked at it as the beginning of the downfall of the professional side. At that time, they also were putting a lot of their eggs in the cordless handdrill. Sales were great! But …. They also had one of the best training programs in the country for their salesmen. That too was run by an old school salesman. When the trainees finished that school they were up and running. He also was ousted. And this was also the same time that they started having some of the tools made in Hong Kong. I guess it was just a short walk across the bridge to China for the tools to be made. Cheap labor on that side and costly on ours. They also moved the plant in Hampstead MD to the Eastern Shore of Maryland where wages were cheaper. Cheap, Cheap, Cheap was the name of the gam.
Donald
You are correct Ginger, Cheap Idiot is the only one working today. We can’t buy anything thats repairable including automobiles..
Jay
After 1989 it seems, Black and Decker really went down hill. Then they started outsourcing their products to Taiwan and eventually China. They used to be such a great company and I mean truly great. Just like Craftsman was.
But just like Craftsman, they stopped caring about the average joe and started only to care about profits. I haven’t bought anything form Black and Decker since they outsourced years ago. Just like Craftsman though, their current employees don’t care about where the products are made, let alone know extensive details as the employees in decades ago did.
Lynda
I really do miss the outlet store in Reading. I won’t be shopping as much at the outlet mall since it has closed. It was just a great place to go and see the products that were available and every now and then there was a bargain to be had. Sorry to see it go.
Coach James
B&D had a plant in Fayetteville NC that was closed in 2006 leaving about 675 people out of work. Back in the 1990’s, the plant employeed over 1,500 people. One of my friends had been there over 20 years and was laid off 34 days before he would have been vested for his pension. He wasn’t the only one done that way. Their outlet store closed about the same time as the plant, but the deals were never much better than any other retail store.
CS
There was time when American industrial workers and thier company worked hand in hand to produce a quality product. There was a loyalty from the company to the employee and vice versa that created pride in a product. You can blame unions and their insatiable greed for the downfall of American craftsmanship and the movement to foreign countrys for manufacturing and the subsequent and inevitable poor standard. Sad
Harlan
Well, sense they closed all of the Black & Decker stores around here I guess when my batteries are not chargeable anymore I will have to find another brand to buy. I will not buy batteries Lowe’s, Home Depot or any other stores that sell B & D batteries. They up the price on the batteries & are too high for me to buy. I could buy two batteries from the B & D outlet stores for the price of one battery in the other stores. I have four cordless drills & two of them has the old style battery in them. I also have a circlersaw that my Daddy bought me. I guess I will have to find another Brand to use, but I will make sure that it is not a brand that B & D or Stantly makes.
Harlan Mosheim, Tennessee
Ron
Are there any Black & Decker Outlet Stores still open in PA? If so, where?
Liz Browning
Why did the black and decker store in Flatwoods WV close? We would love to find one close to us.
Dorsey Nicola
Has the B&D store in Flatwoods closed?
Harold
I will also miss these outlet stores. I was visiting the one in Commerce, Georgia by the Tanger Outlets. I found some Great bargins there. Too bad. Things just keep on-a-changing. Thanks.
William Homra
can I order from your outlet store?
Jim
I don’t know about the rest of the folks who buy tools but I like to look at what I purchase. I pretty much gave up hope on buying great quality tools since most are made in China. I know Black and Decker still have a web sight to visit but I still like to see what I’m buying. Since my only alternative is buying less than great quality I deal with Harbor Freight Tool Stores. Yes, most of their products are made in China but at least I have the option to look at what I buy. Too bad Stanley Tools bought out B&D. The only thing I see from the store closings is that you now have too buy on line a tool that is less than quality and the manufacture is using us to get rich off of products that used to be made in America but lost out to greed.
Stuart
Many of the same products are sold at brick and mortar home improvement stores and popular big-box stores, so customers are not forced into only buying these products online.
Bob Blauth
I will miss all Black and Decker stores I especially liked the outlets. They first closed the B & D Outlet at the 6 Flags Outlets in N J I don’t know why because every time I visited the store there were loads of people there. Bring back the outlet stores
Bob Blauth
Bring back B & D Outlet Stores. I especially missed the store at 6 Flags Outlets in N J So many people there all the time I can’t understand why they closed it.
Richard Snyder
I am disappointed that Black and Decker Outlet stores are closed. I suppose
someone in the company got a big bonus for proposing that idea. I have no
intention of going to a big box store to purchase B@D products and I refuse
to shop online. I want to see and touch something before buying. Plus, now there
will be few qualified people to answer questions if you can get any service at
all.
RICHARD DECKERT
GREED folks, is the name of the game!!!When all parts of stuff was USA made, the worked AND were repairable because the US workers CARED about about the product AND themselves for making it. Since stuff is made overseas, by workers who just want a job and money and don’t care about US, quality sucks! It’s good old American GREED!