Went to a hardware store in rural Montana and their tool rental section was completely empty

Stopped in at a True Value in Livingston last week needing a tile saw for a bathroom floor. Walked back to the rental counter and there was nothing. No saws, no augers, nothing. Guy said they stopped renting because nobody returned stuff on time. Had to drive 60 miles to Bozeman to find one. Anyone else notice rental sections disappearing from smaller stores?

2 comments

2 Comments

tyler_burns661mo ago

I've actually seen the opposite here. Renting tools is still going strong by me.

iris_jones891mo ago

My uncle had a similar thing happen at a lumber yard in Dillon. He went in for a concrete mixer, and the guy behind the counter told him they lost three mixers in one summer. People just drove off with them and never came back. Now the only place that rents anything around there is the U-Haul in Butte, and they charge you for the whole weekend even if you only need it for an afternoon. Makes me wonder if half the people walking into these stores even know what a tool rental is anymore.