Outlaw...
As a Mass "transplant" 21 years ago, I couldn't agree more with your thoughtful comments.
Coming from Mass, we got a fast lesson in the "New Hampshire" way of life. Gilford wanted to build a playground at the elementary school. Had I still been in Saugus Mass, it would have had to go to the town, go through town meeting, go out to bid and ended up on my property tax bill. The playground would have been ready for use when my kids graduated from High School. (OK may Jr. High)
What happened in Gilford was amazing.. The kids in town collected enough pennies to cover the gym floor, LOCAL businesses contributed manpower and equipment and the parents of the kids that wanted the playground showed up and built the Imagination Station in three days. No hit on the tax bill, no burden on the families in Gilford that didn't have kids that would use the playground.
My wife and I as newcomers met friends during the project that 20 years later are still good friends. Looking back, it defines what New Hampshire is about..
As far as "Closed on Sunday" and the difference between the big box stores, we have decided to stay with the "locals". For a major home renovation project.. We used Gilford Home Center... not Home Depot. They delivered free. and in some cases within an hour of finding out we needed a few more sheets of drywall. When we decided to build a garden and renovate the lawn this year... we went to Agway and Beans and Greens... the advice they gave us far "out valued" the savings we would have got by running off to Tilton to save a few bucks.
I can't count the times I've gone to the hardware store on Union Ave with a pocket full of loose parts and screws and asked "got any of these?".. or "how do I... (fill in the blank) " Some of the folks at that store are the same ones that were there 20 years ago!
Do ever go the big box? Sure.. sometimes they have a wider selection, or that hard to find part. But to me, they are the back-up supplier.. not the primary.
In our years here, we have found the local businesses to be terrific, even if they weren't open on Sunday.