After reading Bruce Rudman's ("Do-it Center wins again, but why?") letter in the April 30 T.O. Acorn and following the ongoing debate over the Home Depot request, I can only come to the conclusion that Mr. Rudman and others who are in favor of yet another big box store have never been in a "real" hardware store.

Have you ever tried to find those special nuts, bolts, fasteners and generally oddball things that Home Depot doesn't carry? Apparently not.

Thank goodness for Do-it Center and OSH for carrying the things that the others don't.

Does anyone remember Robbs Hardware, the hardware store on Avenida de Los Arboles or recently the Ace/True Value Hardware in Newbury Park? All of them are gone.

Why? Home Depot.

I don't want to buy a bulk package of stainless steel screws when I only need one or two. If the Home Depot were to go in on Hampshire Road, I'm sure it would be just a matter of time before we would lose the Do-it Center.

If you want the wider selection of goods, drive the six miles and go to Newbury Park. Steve DiLallo Thousand Oaks