Home renovation materials seem to be in short supply. We were supposed to travel for spring break back in April but cancelled b/c of COVID. Instead, we figured we would do a bunch of projects around the house. The week before vacation, we ordered a bunch of lumber from Home Depot so we could build a small floating deck and repair our shed. It took three weeks for the delivery to come. And some of the lumber was the wrong dimensions (luckily bigger so we could rip/cut it down). Went to the store several more times this summer and the lumber racks are bare. No store within 50 miles has anything in stock. Crazy.
Turns out I out-thought myself. I have a locally-owned small hardware store near me called McLendon's. It's wonderful. As close to an "old school hardware store" you can get, while still being a viable modern-day business. We also have Home Depot and Lowe's, which are your typical big-box hardware stores, although Lowe's is less shitty than Home Depot. I knew my local McLendon's didn't deliver, so I ordered from Lowes. They are the ones that told me they'd deliver my block in a MONTH. Yesterday at McLendon's, picking up some little stuff, I see them loading up a truck with blocks... so I ask some questions, and, yes, they DO deliver, and yes, they DO have the block I want, and it is also $.30 cheaper per block! So I called Lowe's and cancelled my order, and went in to McLendon's about 20 minutes ago. They'll have my block delivered by lunch time. TODAY. I may never have to go to another big box hardware store EVER. Yay!