I’ve never visited the Harry J. Epstein Co, an amazingly retro hand tool store in Kansas City, Missouri. The next time I'm in the Midwest I plan to stop by. How could I not when:
a) They disclose where everything is made and much of what they sell is made in the USA—not everything, but a high percentage given where most tools come from. b) It's the opposite of a big box vendor; Epstein's looks like a store from the 1930s—the decade when it was founded. Click here to see what it looked like in 2010.
c) The owner has a great sense of humor. Don't believe me? Then watch the video below, which purports to show what happens after an online customer clicks the button to purchase some tools. They must have modeled their procedure on the one used in Amazon's warehouses.
d) Did I mention the owner’s sense of humor? Oh, I did—well, be sure to check out the incredible/amazing/unbelievable tool in the second video below. It's an actual tool. Watch the video and then click here to see what it is for.
By the way, Epstein’s is not completely retro; they have a Facebook page and an online store, and you can get their stuff through Amazon.