You won't believe this one...
....the "local" Lowe's had a floor model for $174.50. I checked other stores via the website and found one w/ the $87 price, showing 1 left. I called to verify and it couldn't be found. This became the norm- the few stores showing the $87 price either showed 0 in stock OR none could be verified.
So I increased my search radius just by clicking "nearby stores'....there were $175s, $299s, $349s...even a couple $399s!
By now I've searched CT, RI, MA, and parts of NH. Then I went west and saw $69.80 at the Kingston, NY store which showed 1 left. I spoke w/ the "patio/outdoor" guy and asked him for item #516736. He went to look and said yes, last one is a floor model. It looks complete. It's got the manual. I asked if it had the gas tank and he said no. I figured wth, I have 3 of them anyway, who cares. Road trip!
He said he wasn't supposed to hold it w/o payment, but would give me until 1 o'clock to get there. I said great.
70 miles later I introduce myself to him and he says "Got it right here" and I turn the corner and there sits a Blackstone Griddle. Faaaark!
Over the phone I had asked him for item 516736. There was no doubt about that. He apologized and checked the computer and said well, it shows 1 left and I didn't sell one today, so let me look. So we both look up and down the shelves in about 5 aisles 3-4x then he says, let me check out back.
So I figure wth, it's a crappy rainy 38-degree day, I wasn't gonna be doing anything else anyway. At least it was a nice ride in the country.
He goes out back and I wander to the front main row and check out the remaining wood and pellet stoves. Then I figure wtfark, may as well check the stuff that is stacked 20 feet high and up against the front wall and oh sweet mama! there it was by itself-next to a stack of the griddles- item #516736.
OTD w/a NIB pizza oven w/ 2-yr warranty extension for $88.31.
When I got to the car I learned it won't fit through the back door of a 97 Camry. It was raining pretty good and I didn't feel like unboxing it right there, so I sorta wedged into the trunk w/ the trunk lid pointing straight up and tied it down and limped home in the rain, going easy over the crapload of frost heaves.
During the drive I boiled it all down- I drove 90 extra miles (<$10 gas) and spent 3 more hours on the road to save $105.
