This weekend is no sales tax weekend in Massachusetts. We took advantage of it buy some recliner chairs to replace our sofa.
Afterwards we went to YouDoIt Electronics to buy some solder flux, and picked up a bronze tip cleaning pad, some syringes to apply flux to small parts if the built in brush doesn't work.
While there however, I overheard 2 other groups of people talking about parts they needed for their Arduino projects! Cool!
Cool!
Very! Tax free and Arduino. What's not to like.
You didn't happen to see a 17 yr old kid talking to his dad about arduinos and oscillators at you-do-it electronics did you? That would've been me. Didn't know I had some forum friends in Massachusetts! 
Don't think so. I was there 3:45-4:15 or so.
There's a bunch of Arduino-ites in MA; you, me, JohnWasser, skyjumper down in RI, Arlington, Worcester, am sure plenty of others too.
I drive by You-Do-It sometimes. Is it any good? Usually i get parts from Mouser, with the occasional emergency stop at the shack if i have to.
Gotta love tax free weekend. I didnt save any money from it, but I certainly sat in the traffic!
Arduino-ites in MA; Catcher, Crossroads, JohnWasser, skyjumper down in RI, Arlington, Worcester, focalist, bilbo ...
YouDoIt is good for somethings; connectors, battery packs, got a selection of ICs, resisters, capacitor, cards, connectors, switches, boxes. Kits, books (whole series of Evil Genius books), wire, soldering irons, solder, board etching stuff, hand tools, all downstairs. I don't think any surface mount.
Upstairs are TVs, sound systems, speakers, stage lighting & music.
Great place to wander around.
I'd make YouDoIt the emergency stop place, RS hardly ever has what I am after, and if they do, usually not more than 1 of something, especially if you go by there.
There are indeed a decent contingent of us with "the sickness" here in Mass... particularly interesting since not many of them seem to be WPI/MIT alumni roster as one might expect. Students and hobbyists galore, though..
YDI does have at least a moderate selection of components, but they are brutal on the pricing in most cases-- not as bad as RS mind you, but not good either. It really does come down to "it's local and I can drive there so it's worth the cost.." as far as I am concerned. Crossroads-- did you ever look into whether that outfit in Kingston has a storefront? They've got decent enough pricing, if they have a shop, might be worth a drive over if there are toy bins to pick through
Been out enjoying the last couple of days sans (most) electronics- Sturbridge "camping". Big hit: "dance party" strobe for the kids made from that 10watt LED sniped off eBay. Okay, I don't count that as electronics..
"that outfit in Kingston"
I don't recall who that was, but being twice as far as YouDoIt I doubt I'd get down there. I'm never that desperate for a part.
I only proceeded to YouDoIt even because it wasn't that much farther to get from being in Natick already.
Still need to get some solder paste. I think I want something in a fine syringe that can be squeezed out along 28 TSOP pins on an existing board./
Ah, for all the old junk shops that used to thrive in Cambridge.. I was a huge fan of the 90's Cambridge.. not so much of the "People's Republic" of today