Healthy competition

Dear Editor:Mr. Greg Fuller, CEO of All American Home Center, stated that, "There were some customers who organized against the big box," meaning Home Depot. ("Downey 2010: A Year to Remember," 12/16/10). This is an interesting statement. For many years All American Home Center was the only hardware store in the southwest area, serving South Gate, Bell, Bell Gardens, Maywood, Cudahy and Paramount. It was a convenient location to go there from any of these neighboring cities. In the 1970s and '80s I shopped there for this reason, and none other. I never saw them as competitive in their pricing, but still went there because they did have what I needed at the time. I always felt their service to be detached, not as warm or friendly as stated in the article. As diversity changed Downey, I found that only after Home Depot opened in 1996 that there were a lot of changes done at All American. I feel that All American did not want to change, but with Home Depot right next door, a change in diverse population of the area and a need for their business made them change. This change has been for the better. Thank you, Home Depot. -- Vince Diaz, Downey

********** Published: December 23, 2010 - Volume 9 - Issue 36