For me it’s a hardware store or electronic components. It’s like candy.
Microcenter is my craft store. Do I NEED this adapter that’s on sale? No. I might one day though.
Funny thing. in German we call many wood, metal or plastic building materials like sheets, pipes etc. “Halbzeug”.
This translates literally to “half thing”
Kartoffeln = Frittenhalbzeug
There’s a shop chain in Northern England, it’s called Boyes, it is the BEST for this. Like, I don’t think I’ve ever once gone into the Boyes in my tiny middle-of-nowhere town needing something weirdly specific (craft-related or otherwise) and not been able to find it.
Basic interfacing? Check. Really specific size and colour of safety eyes? Somehow also check. Net curtain to turn into a wedding dress, and a lavender heat pack for my grandma? That’s also a check. Set of screwdrivers, a new pair of pyjamas and some back to school supplies? I’ll give you three guesses.
I love stores like that. Go in looking for a particular colour string and leave with bags of all kinds of fun things I didnt know I wanted until then.
Nothin but notions?
That applies to every cash & carry type store, if we are being pedantic.
Me with software deal websites like StackSocial or student app centre; I don’t know when or why I need this app, but I do!
