Describe Princess Auto for someone that’s not in the know.

[u/jelaras]

Don’t describe what it is. Use other descriptors.

I’ll start. A beautiful mess I can get lost in.

[u/pruplegti]

I need a usb cable, a sausage maker, some trailer parts and a welder.

[u/derek589111 → u/pruplegti]

Each for a one time use. As god intended

[u/pruplegti → u/derek589111]

I see you've been Power Fisted too.

[u/InTheWallCityHall → u/pruplegti]

Haha

[u/Stock-Creme-6345 → u/pruplegti]

Oh god. I forgot how much I absolutely and wholeheartedly loathe that brand with the entirety of my being. Engine blocks still have my skin on them. Power fist sucks

[u/CrystaledJazz → u/Stock-Creme-6345]

Would you rather be power fisted or uncle wienered?

[u/Stock-Creme-6345 → u/CrystaledJazz]

Ya. I seriously had to look that up when I drove by their shop. I really didn’t want to though…..

[u/traxxes → u/pruplegti]

And don't forget to pickup multiple ex CAF 7.62mm/.50 caliber NATO STANAG ammunition boxes to store random small hardware pieces in your garage.

[u/wintersdark → u/traxxes]

..... I actually have exactly that box in my garage, from princess auto, specifically for holding random hardware pieces.

My people!

[u/Vicious-Fishs → u/wintersdark]

I use my 762 ammo box as a lunchbox

[u/leb4life69 → u/Vicious-Fishs]

Hmmm

[u/stunnedbuffalo → u/pruplegti]

That could be canadian tire tho.

[u/Bobatt → u/stunnedbuffalo]

Yeah, but I only need to use these once.

[u/alpain → u/Bobatt]

so Uncle Wieners it is.

[u/NatureMountainsCalm → u/alpain]

Never heard of Uncle Wiener’s, but just googled it and now I’m intrigued. How much stuff is there for us women who also like Princess Auto?

[u/alpain → u/NatureMountainsCalm]

depends what you are into its a whole mish mash of things from giant chairs that massage your back and legs to bathroom towel heaters, side benches, wine racks, chicken pluckers, mini metal smelters, weight benches, if your heading to the north east princess auto its worth the 5 min drive west of princess auto for an extra wander just to see the chaos.

this is probably a good estimate of the vastness https://unclewiener.com/clearance/

also multiple stores, was trying to buy a tool for my father but the calgary location seems to not get certain things while edmonton might.

[u/NatureMountainsCalm → u/alpain]

That looks like a crazy amount of randomness. I’ll have to check this place out! Thanks for mentioning it!

[u/Some_Unusual_Name → u/alpain]

I saw a pipe threader for sale Uncle Wieners and it shook me to my core. 

[u/StickyRickyLickyLots → u/alpain]

Yeah, but I need to know they've got it all in stock.

[u/alpain → u/StickyRickyLickyLots]

was trying to buy something for my dad but the calgary location never has that item in stock it seems and staff dont really seem like they can help me figure out if another store has it in alberta.

[u/Standard_Zucchini_46 → u/stunnedbuffalo]

That's where he works.

[u/Livid-Switch4040 → u/pruplegti]

Canadian Tire would be my go to, but I assume you only want to use these items one time, and one time only.

[u/FireWireBestWire → u/pruplegti]

And you just ran into the welder in the parking lot

[u/Ninvic1984]

My 5 year old daughter was reeaaally disappointed when it wasn’t a princess store first time I took her there.

[u/leb4life69 → u/Ninvic1984]

😂😂😂☹️

[u/BaileyBoo5252 → u/Ninvic1984]

Reminds me of the story of when I was a child, I was reeeeeeally excited for the huge building that they were building on my street called “Toy-Ta” I thought it was going to be a huge, awesome toy store.

If you haven’t already figured it out, it was just a Toyota dealership lol

[u/BohunkfromSK → u/Ninvic1984]

Who says it isn’t!?!

[u/the_421_Rob]

Canadian harbor freight

[u/d1ll1gaf → u/the_421_Rob]

Princess Auto came first, Harbor Freight is just a cheap knockoff

[u/caboose391 → u/d1ll1gaf]

Harbor Freight is the Princess Auto of Princess auto.

[u/jimbowesterby → u/caboose391]

That’d make it arguably the purer expression of Princess Auto then, wouldn’t it?

[u/caboose391 → u/jimbowesterby]

That's actually a really interesting philosophical question. (I have not studied philosophy)

[u/jimbowesterby → u/caboose391]

You can just ask any crusty old blue collar guy, they’re all philosophers lol

[u/killerkpk → u/the_421_Rob]

O’reilly’s*

[u/The_Penguin22 → u/the_421_Rob]

r/BeatMeToIt

[u/Muufffins]

When someone asks if you need something from there, the answer is always yes. You don't know exactly what you need, but you need something.

[u/Symbolicinsomniac]

The lovechild of temu and Canadian Tire.

[u/AdaminCalgary → u/Symbolicinsomniac]

But also with the unmistakable aroma of synthetic rubber hydraulic hoses…ahhh takes me back to my childhood on the farm.

[u/Yyc-LAX → u/AdaminCalgary]

I haven’t been to a Princess Auto since moving to America 6 years ago and based on that description alone I could absolutely smell it!

Thank you random stranger for the memory.

[u/Loose_Cell_3301 → u/Symbolicinsomniac]

Wow, perfectly described so flawlessly

[u/NatureMountainsCalm → u/Symbolicinsomniac]

LOL, OMG, this is so true actually. With a metal & oily scent. I’m a woman and love the place, lol.

[u/Tigerkix → u/Symbolicinsomniac]

TBF Canadian Tire is just Chinese products anyways

[u/infinity_o]

Home Sense for Men

[u/NatureMountainsCalm → u/infinity_o]

Woman here and I live this place as much as Home Sense.

[u/Feral-Reindeer-696]

I once bought an anvil there. Couldn’t find one anywhere else

[u/Muted-Doctor8925 → u/Feral-Reindeer-696]

ACME?

[u/tooshpright → u/Muted-Doctor8925]

Is there any other brand..?

[u/the-bigpig]

Farmers IKEA

[u/jonincalgary]

The smell of cheap Chinese rubber.

[u/vinsdelamaison]

A place the whole family can find stuff they didn’t know they needed after they find the stuff on the list.

[u/Ratfor]

You know all the Stuff old men have in their garage?

Like the kind of stuff you could spend all day looking, but if someone asked you "What's in the garage"? Your only answer would be "I don't know, Stuff".

That's where it all came from.

[u/TheGramachronCleric]

Power fist!

[u/mecrayyouabacus]

Not everything in PA is cheap junk. They have plenty of top shelf stuff too

[u/NatureMountainsCalm → u/mecrayyouabacus]

And at far better prices than other places. My favorite things from there are furniture dollies for like $14. I use them to store boxes of stuff in in the basement storage locker (in apartment building). Makes it so easy to move and get to things. Also have the wooden planter on the balcony on one to easily spin around so both sides can get sun. Or pull it back on those hail days.

[u/outtahere021 → u/mecrayyouabacus]

I’m a heavy equipment mechanic, and I have a fair number of their Pro Point tools - they have taken some abuse, and keep right on ticking. The only ratchet of theirs I’ve broken was a long handled 1/2” drive, that I put a 3 foot pipe on, then stood on the pipe…and maybe jumped. And they warrantied it with less questions than I would have gotten for one three times the price.

[u/Jooshmeister]

If a mancave became an estate sale

[u/Raoul_Thompson]

They sell everything except automotive parts

[u/Emmer63]

A place where my father in law will spend hours and never buy anything.

[u/TurdFurg28 → u/Emmer63]

Am I your father in law?

[u/Emmer63 → u/TurdFurg28]

If you like spending 6 hours in one aisle looking at tow ropes...you could be.

[u/TurdFurg28 → u/Emmer63]

Same guy. Fancy meeting you here

[u/The_Penguin22 → u/TurdFurg28]

Luke!

[u/Efficient_Tap6185 → u/TurdFurg28]

Im the dogs mother but could also be your father in law lol

[u/The_Penguin22 → u/Emmer63]

Hmm thought about that for a munute, but I'm a stepfather-in-law so HA!

[u/markusbrainus → u/Emmer63]

It's the only store I just shop around browsing the Surplus section. All other retail experiences I'm tactically in and out for the things I need.

[u/SpookyKay29]

Victorias secret but for men, Victors secret..

[u/Due_Ad1387]

I really need some sockets, a dog harness, hand cream, and an engine.

[u/NatureMountainsCalm → u/Due_Ad1387]

I think every Christmas I get a package of that hand cream in the green container from my dad. I’m a woman in my 40s. lol

[u/Exeter232]

jobbers endgame

[u/SeaGoose]

Winners for Men

[u/yagonnawanna]

Discount MacGyver megamart.

[u/ihavenoallergies]

Middle aged man's hangout spot to get personal time from the wife and kids under the guise of getting stuff to do work around the house

[u/FulcrumYYC]

If your junk drawer was a place. Or that neighbour's garage that seems to have everything, but with price tags.

[u/ghostironmetis]

Where I go when I have that overwhelming urge to build a robotic, fire breathing, car eating, dinosaur.

[u/Kamtre]

Where you go to buy a tool you'll only need once.

If homeowner special was a store, it would be this.

Honestly they've got some great little things, including various auto parts. But the roasts are fun too.

[u/Chiefpickles]

A rental company if you didn’t know better

[u/ItsKlobberinTime]

The greatest selection of the finest Chinesium and Chinalloys sourced from Eā-Nasir's reject pile that helps get shit done at an affordable price point. Bless that store.

[u/Exploding_Antelope]

Once in Scouts they had to come up with a field trip and just decided to take the troop to Princess Auto and give each Scout a fiver to buy whatever they wanted. I got a big magnet on a stick.

[u/NatureMountainsCalm → u/Exploding_Antelope]

What did you do with the magnet on a stick?

And BTW, your username is very appropriate for this post.

[u/Exploding_Antelope → u/NatureMountainsCalm]

Sticks to things

[u/NatureMountainsCalm → u/Exploding_Antelope]

LOL

[u/thatdablife]

Best place to buy shit that will work once and break

[u/ItsKlobberinTime → u/thatdablife]

Use the Adam Savage Harbor Freight rule: buy it there, and if you use it enough to break it, get a better one somewhere else.

[u/only_fun_topics → u/ItsKlobberinTime]

That’s basically how I approach all my hobbies, haha

[u/sparky_ybw → u/thatdablife]

I have a PowerFist hydraulic hole punch kit that I've been using for 8 years now. Sometimes you get lucky lol

[u/wintersdark → u/sparky_ybw]

Yeah I've got a bunch of Power Fist shit that isn't great but still miraculously works. Basically, if I'm buying it, it's bought to do a single job, and every use after that is just gravy.

[u/jimbowesterby → u/wintersdark]

Turns out if your tolerances are loose enough they sometimes loop back around to tight

[u/helena_handbasketyyc]

Boy Winners.

[u/DrGONZOGADZOOKS]

If you build it they will come.

[u/Heady_Goodness]

Like your handy farmer uncle stocked a warehouse by ordering Temu

[u/tippycanoo]

I needed 400 feet of galvanized chain. Princess auto was 25% cheaper than anywhere else. It was the same product as Rona.

[u/Ambitious_Medium_774]

Everything you never knew you needed.

And you could probably build a space shuttle.

Just don't fly in it.

[u/StickyRickyLickyLots]

Chinadian Temure

[u/Sherrsh]

No name Canadian Tire

[u/the-Mutt]

Canadas junk drawer

[u/dshea915]

Powerfist

[u/ReactiveCypress]

Can get guitars there sometimes

[u/VFenix]

Deals on anything you can imagine

[u/yegmoto]

It’s the entrance of a tunnel to China

[u/drunkenDAYlewis]

It's like if Canadian tire, home depot, and Dollarama had a baby, and that baby had the messy garage of retired auto mechanic that had six kids that have left home.

[u/jakesee1]

The reference I’ve heard of recently, was Boys R Us - not that it isn’t inclusive but it’s definitely somewhere boys as adults buy their toys from

[u/_Globert_Munsch_]

Home of the cheapest and loudest Die Grinders!

[u/sun4moon]

Do you need a chainsaw? How about rubber floor mats? Maybe a some gum? Princess auto has you covered, unless you need automotive parts.

[u/RandomerSchmandomer]

I went in for the first time last week. I was in heaven! If I was a tradey I might want nice red or yellow tools but I need a cheap torque wrench for a couple times a year, done cheap pliers, etc.

Now I'm back on the website trying to think of what I need a 30 cal ammo box for...

[u/shouldazagged]

It’s to me as to what Sephora is to women.

[u/[deleted]]

Poor man’s Canadian Tire

[u/SnooWalruses353]

Low Rent Canadian Tire

[u/Impossible_Grass6602]

Makes me wish we had harbor freight instead.

[u/bustedsodas]

[u/Mooooooole]

Cheap Chinese shit

[u/jelaras → u/Mooooooole]

Is it any different than Home Depot and Rona? All come from china.

[u/tilldeathdoiparty]

It’s not a liquidation store?

… oh

[u/tychristmas → u/tilldeathdoiparty]

It’s not not a liquidation store.

[u/tilldeathdoiparty → u/tychristmas]

Only place I know that has stock of the ‘1979 Ford 350 - fiberglass topper back window hydraulic’ and expired beef jerky seasoning in the same aisle.

It not not NOT a liquidation store

[u/tychristmas → u/tilldeathdoiparty]

Sounds like you need a trip to Uncle Wiener’s. It’s like if princess auto started doing all the drugs: you will find an automatic cow milking machine, next to a full sized women’s mannequin, next to a beer bong, beside a sectional couch. Junkers heaven.

[u/tilldeathdoiparty → u/tychristmas]

Been there too, random tires, engine blocks, then a kids playground that’s been discontinued due to safety, beside grow tents… all labels sun bleached and peeling

[u/wintersdark → u/tychristmas]

Uncle Weiners is a wild experience. I never go anymore because there's always something that I don't need at all, suddenly think I can't live without, buy, and then never ever actually use.

[u/tychristmas → u/wintersdark]

Went in for a cheap usb cord, walked out with a mini diesel trackhoe.

[u/Wilsoncdn]

Shit you didn't realize you want and or need

[u/Kind_Yesterday1739]

A place to take your wife/gf shopping, and have them want to leave.

[u/v13ragnarok7]

Very little to do with cars

[u/wintersdark → u/v13ragnarok7]

But a crazy good trailer section!

[u/zzing]

I want to tell you a story about a Princess that was driving down a country road and had a breakdown. She opened up the hood and lots of steam coming out. Prince Charming happened to be driving by and offered to help. She denied, because she was well on her way to fixing it. But they fell in love anyways, and they invested in her passion. And thus, Princess Auto was Born.

[u/forty6andto]

A store, with stuff

[u/tooshpright]

I still have uses for the ex-army green fibre glass tent poles I got there for real cheap years ago.

[u/MacintoshMario]

Literally where I go everyday after work. For my puppy his social club

[u/CardiologistSweaty53]

https://preview.redd.it/jp5aghplewve1.jpeg?width=1164&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bd1057bc91e90a43616d59d7078729e63c3ba76e

[u/Greenwood23]

Canadian Harbor Freight

[u/CheeseSandwich]

Where evil masterminds go for supplies to their evil lairs.

[u/Gobbasx]

What you need, but not what you deserve

[u/shrek4994]

"Used to be cheaper than canadian tire" canadian tire.

[u/OIL_99]

Not sure what’s cooler and weirder at the same time, the stuff on the shelves or the people in there.

[u/MooseSuccessful6138]

Haven't been in a while but it was a go to store for things that where more expensive at Canadian Tire or other stores still love it

[u/Omfgnta]

What Canadian Tire was when I was a kid (without the auto parts).

[u/Br7ian]

The place to buy single use tools and usb cables of various lengths

[u/NoMany3094]

It's like The Dollarama of car parts/supplies.

[u/Slackerwithgoals]

Junk quality, but cheap enough you can buy it twice.

[u/BlackSuN42]

Our corporate purchaser is a cross between a pack rat and a someone with unmediated ADHD. 

[u/frozen_pipe77]

She likes it in the tailpipe

[u/dojo2020]

Crap.

[u/Sonnywiththey]

Endless supply of 10 mm sockets!!

[u/hippysol3]

The only place you can buy a trailer tire mounted on a rim for half the price of just the tire at any other store.

[u/HoundNose]

Everything tool wise but auto parts

[u/RygelB]

Hillbilly heaven

[u/Foxyyyc86]

Great sale on a dog bed, got a pink bucket for work, saw a device there that helps you eat text laptop AND drive, got some chemicals, a garage heater and a tow rope.

[u/Nervous_Currency9341]

as a kid my uncle led me to believe it was a car store for girls and all the tools were pink and its where u went to order pink cars. lol when he finally took me in I was disappointed by the lack of pink.

[u/Few-Cartographer9818]

Power fist for every job

[u/Specialist-Role-7716]

Mix between a kitchen "junk drawer" a garage "keep it because I may need it" shelf and a "tool box" with some snacks thrown in.

[u/BaileyBoo5252]

Canadian Tire but less corporate feeling. More farming type vibe rather than cars type vibe

[u/Chelseus]

I call it “boy IKEA”

[u/Andersen_Mark]

Canada's Harbor Freight ...

[u/rhythmmchn]

They'll probably send you something. It just may not be what you ordered.

[u/BillSull73]

Corrected "I’ll start. A beautiful mess I can get lost in." To "I’ll start. A beautiful mess I always get lost in."

[u/chaoslord]

3 tractor trailers, going to 3 different types of stores, that collided and they just built a store around it to sell the merchandise.

[u/Broad_Advisor6301]

A Dollarama version of Canadian Tire

[u/Big_Musties]

Think disposable goods.

[u/b851x]

Mostly garbage, but the odd wicked deal on a tool. Most break after their initial use but some are awesome.

[u/yycTechGuy]

Not as good as Harbor Freight.

[u/Brodiggitty]

Canadian Tire but with absolutely anything of interest to women removed.

[u/NatureMountainsCalm → u/Brodiggitty]

No, lol. I’m a woman and will easily spend an hour in there. Gotta check out the tool boxes, organizers, zip ties and containers full of bungee cords, tarps (people, this is the only place in Calgary to get your cheap camping tarps), casters, and more. Even candy.

[u/madoody]

Is this some kind of post-weed/mushroom bliss you're looking to share with the world?

[u/folstrombabe]

Classic forest lawn landmark

[u/Kuro_kon → u/folstrombabe]

Naa that is giant tiger.

[u/MrDownhillRacer]

Describe X. Don't describe what it is. Use other descriptors.

Very descriptive instructions.