. "4"^^ . "2"^^ . . "I should have heeded the Yelp star rating when heading to this Menards, but it was right next door to my former storage unit so I thought I'd just pop in real quick to put together an easy DIY project - giant Jenga. \n\nI am not inclined to the sorts of projects one would need to visit a Menards for, so after spending some time wandering their giant, giant store I saw a counter that did custom jobs and inquired where I could find 2x4s and how many I would need to get the number of blocks I desired. The older gentleman sitting at the computer was unhelpful, but a younger woman who was behind him walked over to help. She was the one bright spot in my soon to be hellish trip (and worthy of her very own star in the rating). \n\nThe woman helped me calculate out how many pieces of wood I'd need, and drew a little diagram with the cut measurements. I opted to have Menards cut my wood for me - I don't own a saw and while it's a little steep ($1/cut), I figured in the end it would be cheaper and easier than me renting a power tool and measuring everything myself. I was probably wrong about the latter part. \n\nAfter helping me out, the woman referred me back to the man at the computer to place the order. He told me to take my printout up to pay, then to go out back to the lumberyard. I was to let the gate guard know I needed wood cut, and they'd radio ahead to have someone meet me with a forklift and they'd grab the wood and cut it. Sounded easy enough.\n\nWhile paying for my order, the woman who had initially helped me came sprinting up - she realized she'd made a mistake on the math and I'd need one more 2x4. She ran over to customer service, printed out a new invoice, and had me on my way. This is where the good part of the trip stopped.\n\nAfter paying, I drove around to the lumber yard. I let the guard know I needed cuts. He radioed it in. After some searching I was finally able to find the correct barn to pull into. I pulled up next to the stall number that had the 2x4s and waited. And waited. And waited. After 30 minutes of no one showing up and no workers in sight, I called the store. And waited. And then got an automated message saying no one was able to take my call and then got hung up on. Awesome. I got out of my car, and was finally able to track down an employee. \n\nI explained that I'd been waiting for 40 minutes and no one had helped us. \n\"Well, you should have picked out your wood then driven it over to the saw. I got the message telling me someone needed cuts, but I thought that was for someone else.\" I explained I was told he would meet me with a forklift and that he would bring the wood to the saw. He told me that's not how it works.\n\nAfter finally getting the wood to the saw, I showed him the diagram and he had no idea what to do. I explained it, and he went about cutting everything. With a presumably dull blade that chewed up the wood. While complaining. The whole time. I came to find out he was literally the only person working in the entire lumber yard, which is insane for many reasons - the most disturbing being that if he got hurt, no one would have any idea. From a consumer standpoint, there is no way one person can adequately staff such a big area. \n\nWhile the guy cut our wood, another truck pulled up to ask if his order was ready. The same older man who had been initially unhelpful had told them he would call in their order and have it ready by the time they were done shopping. Again, this is apparently not how it works. The other customers had already spent an hour putzing around waiting, and were not pleased that they had to wait for my order for theirs to even get started. Totally fair, considering I needed 40+ cuts. \n\nAnother Menards employee eventually showed up zipping around on a cart, and talked to both of us customers after the complaining cutter told him that everything was being done wrong and he literally can't do his job. Zippy guy went to track down the old man inside, but didn't do a whole lot to help the situation in the lumber yard (and again, left the saw man alone in a giant yard with no help). \n\nAfter nearly two hours since I had set foot in the door, the order was ready, albeit shoddily since the ends were all chewed to bits. Glad I grabbed a big old stack of sandpaper, as I don't think I would have been willing to return for more."^^ . . "1"^^ . "2015-09-03T00:00:00"^^ . "4"^^ .