Shopping > Stores
Visiting Toomey Tools Discount Shop in Waldo, Florida
This afternoon, my other half and I went to breakfast in Starke. He knew that we’d be stopping at Toomey Tools on our way back home. The discount store operates both a stand-alone store and a shop in the Waldo Flea Market. They’re a stone’s throw from each other, but I like to stop in this store to check out what new foods they have in the grocery, and poke around the rest of the store for random things we might need around the house.
Toomeys Tools in Waldo, Florida
If you’ve watched any of my videos, you probably know my spendthrift ways. I can smell a good discount a mile away, and my idea of a perfect day is wandering around a flea market and digging through bins.
So years ago, when I moved to the area, I fell in love with the Waldo Flea Market, particularly two larger shops along the main walkway. I’d go into both, enjoying the cheap Chinese products that reminded me of the ‘dollar’ stores of Taiwan, and then moving on to the one with the tools and tarps — Toomey Tools.
Toomey’s recently expanded to a stand-alone location a short distance from the flea market. It’s still only open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday like the flea market location, but this shop also has a grocery section with frozen, shelf-stable, and dry foods. The has everything homesteaders and preppers might need, including tools, knives and small engine repair parts. There are also cleaning supplies and kitchen stuff.
I still enjoy walking around the flea market and finding all the random stuff vendors have for sale, but sometimes it’s nice to go to this Toomey’s shop for a quick in-and-out without having to find parking and walk past random booths.
Waldo Flea Market is located on Highway 301 in Waldo, not far from Starke and Gainesville, in North Central Florida. Toomeys is located at 17313 NE US Hwy 301, Waldo, FL 32694.
Apparently they also have sausage from the local sausage packing plant, Nettles.
A building with a history
Maybe you’ve heard of Cafe Risque, the area’s once-popular chain of strip joints frequented by truckers and college students?The strippers are gone, but the ornate door to the gentleman’s club still stands. 🙂
Good Food at Good Prices
When my other half and I go to Toomey’s, he goes to the tools and I head straight for the back section with the food. I’ve found everything here from European imported snacks to Amish soap.
Toomey’s gets its products from other stores and sellers, and when their stock is gone, it’s not likely to be replenished. So when you see something you like, you better buy it now.
Along the left wall are coolers and freezers. You might find rolls of cookie dough and ice cakes, or waffles and spring rolls, or plant-based fake meats… The shop has lots of refrigerated space, and the shelves are often full.
I meant to get a box of these spring rolls. Now that I have my air fryer set up, these would be fry to a perfect crisp. But, I got so excited with the other things I found (keep reading and scrolling!) that I plum forgot to go back to the freezer.
When was the last time you saw Dunkaroos?
OMG — I about died when I saw German gingerbread cookies on the shelf. These lebkuchen are from Aldi’s, and they look so much like the cookies I gobbled down while in Munich.
There wasn’t enough space in my luggage to bring some back; plus, brining food home from an international cruise is frowned upon. I hoped to bake some cookies myself to share, using recipes from the internet.
My other half didn’t seem as enthusiastic about trying real German cookies, but I think he’ll like them.
Like I say in my videos: Buy one and try it fast. If you like it, go back and buy them up.
Why do preppers insist on buying MREs? MREs are dehydrated meals that are ready-to-eat. Soldiers carry them into the field and then moan and complain about their quality. They’re usually barely edible and packed with salt. Still, people love them.
These Sopakco MREs are also on Amazon, where there’s more details about what’s inside. Such as:
The SOPAKCO Emergency Ration MRE (meal, Ready to Eat) is packed under FEMA guidelines and contains 1,200 calories per meal. They are portable, light weight and durable – perfect for emergency preparedness as well as camping, hiking and hunting.
Each meal contains a an Entree, Dessert, Cracker, Peanut Butter, Cheese Spread, Beverage Powder and a Spoon. In addition, each meal bag also has a flameless ration heater so you will have a hot meal anywhere, anytime!
All components are US Military MRE components. Note that there are fourteen (14) MREs per case, not 12 as is usual — on a price per meal basis you will not get better, fresher emergency preparedness MREs.
The main entrees will vary but you will get a selection of the following: Sloppy Joe, Penne Pasta, Spaghetti, Chili Mac, Meatballs in Marinara, Veggie Lasagna, Beef Patty, Cheese Tortellini, Chicken Pesto Pasta, Asian Beef, and Chicken with Noodles.
Yum. /s
Here’s what I got today — do you see a theme? Walker’s shortbreads from Scotland, Harison chocolate from Switzerland, Loaker peanut butter wafer cookies from Austria, and Benton / Aldi gingerbread star cookies from Germany.
I miss Europe.
Everything is Normal at the Jacksonville Store
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Ropes are a homesteader’s best friend, and you can never have enough rope. Thin, thick, cotton, nylon, blunt end, clipped end…we need them all. Toomey’s had this pile of ropes near the tarps. Back when I had horses, I made my own lunge line from a long rope. I kept rope in the car in case a horse got loose and I needed to fashion a halter and lead rope on the fly. When a fence board broke or fell, nothing blocked off the “temporary exit” than a rope.
Nowadays, I don’t need ropes like I used to. But I still love to look at them. (Check out that thick cotton one on the bottom! It’s so pretty.)
See the empty boxes next to the ropes? Here’s one reason I really respect Toomey’s. The boxes are for you to put your selections in and bring up to the register. Behind the counter are even more boxes, and they’re happy to put your items in them rather than plastic bags.
It’s such a utilitarian store — waste not, want not!
The Place for Tarps & Canopy Supplies
Years ago, when I was living off-grid in a single-wide mobile home (seriously — one of the best places I ever lived!!), I decided to cover my home with a canopy. We weren’t sure that the roof was water-tight, and we figured the best and easiest way to keep everything dry was to cover it with a tarp.
I got my canopy system from the Toomey store at the Waldo Flea Market, back before they opened this second location. A super awesome woman worked with me for a half hour, figuring out how many poles, connectors, tarps, and elastic ties I would need. And she was absolutely correct.
You know how you’re doing a project and you go to Lowes or Home Depot for all the stuff you need. When you get home, you realize you forgot some tiny tool or supply, or you got the wrong thing, and you have to go back to the store. After awhile, you realize you’re spending as much time walking around the hardware store as you are in your own home doing the project.
So yeah, I was so happy that we had everything we’d need for the canopy and no more trips to Waldo. At least, for that project. 🙂
I bought my supplies ten years ago, when all the supplies were definitely cheaper. Politics aside, metal is more costly so yeah, prices are up.
Still, I think Toomey’s is probably the best bet for buying all you need for tarps and canopies. They have three-way and four-way connectors, and tarps of almost every size.
I’m no expert on tarps, but let’s just say that I still have the two huge tarps I bought for the original canopy. They’ve been used on temporary canopies I’ve put up around the yard over the years, and used to cover random stuff during hurricanes and storms. One was used to cover my treasured alfalfa hay to protect it from the elements. (Alfalfa hay is expensive!!) They’ve been folded and unfolded so many times, and yep, they’re still in the yard and on call for the next emergency.
How many tarps from Harbor Freight have I thrown out in the last ten years? Too many to count.
Toomey’s sells the elastic bands used to affix the tarps to the metal poles. One bag of 50 ties right now is $20.
These ties are super fun and useful — I’ve used them for other reasons around the yard…which is why I sometimes find them in the dirt.
I know I have a bucket of these in the shed, from when we took down the last canopy in the yard… Three are hanging from the faucet in the kitchen sink. Why? I don’t know. They’re just there. 🙂
These metal feet caught my attention! Right now I hang blankets and sheets outside on one of the disused poles, but the pole isn’t screwed securely and it falls when the wind shifts. I think I might have to buy a few of these to make a better, more stable laundry line. Are they overkill for a closet shelving system in my bedroom? Maybe.
Overall…
Toomey’s is one of my favorite stops on the way to Waldo or Starke. There’s always new products in the food section, and so many tools and supplies that for sure I can find a reason to buy. It’s definitely a store that preppers and homesteaders in the North Central Florida area should be familiar with.
Thanks for reading! Don’t forget to check out my latest video on YouTube!
Jenny Claire is an award-winning educational materials writer, travel journalist, and food critic, formerly based in New York City and Taiwan. She calls a cute cabin in the woods of rural North Central Florida home, but lately she’s been spending most of her time cruising and traveling. She also was a secret travel critic and writer — but her lips are sealed on those details!
Living the Sunshine Life