I think a diner is probably one of the few business models that this would work on. I can't think of anything else that it has worked for. I tried to support local hardware stores for as long as I could but there was just no denying how much more convenient lowes and Home Depot were compared to a guy that had a handful of tools and a bunch of nails as well as a fantastic small time attitude.

It's sad to see them go, but that's the way things are.