Best Shops For The Home Inventor In Baltimore

Not all great ideas start in high-budget, corporate research and development divisions. Plenty of modern-day Thomas Edisons are tinkering away in their Baltimore home garages and basements, working on the next big thing. Finding the parts for your home inventions is not a one-stop-shop affair. Below, we break down some of the best shops for home inventors in Baltimore.--Melissa Dahne

The Home Depot

6315 Eastern Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21224
(410) 631-4440
www.homedepot.com

Whether you're building a pumpkin launcher or a potato gun, you'll find all the essential components at The Home Depot. With its vast selection of tools, building materials and other construction supplies, this huge warehouse-like store is a home inventor's dream-come-true. The store touts competitive pricing on all its products and offers a customer satisfaction guarantee. Hours: Monday through Saturday, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Radio Shack

The Can Company
2400 Boston Street, Suite 3
Baltimore, MD 21224
(410) 534-0135
www.radioshack.com

If you're an inventor who likes to toy with technology, you'll definitely enjoy a trip to "the Shack." The store carries a wide variety of electrical supplies, such as connectors, fuses, wires, cables and batteries. If you want to configure your riding mower to play a song when you start the engine, this is the place to go. The Shack's intimate atmosphere allows customers to browse for what they need in a friendly and inviting atmosphere. A chain retailer, Radio Shack prides itself on hiring knowledgeable employees who can help with even the most perplexing home invention challenges. Hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Space, Ltd.

6714 Whitestone Road
Baltimore, MD 21207
(410) 298-1065
www.spaceltd.com

Turn the idea you have sketched on a napkin into a real prototype with the help of the plastic molding experts at Space, Ltd. Located on the west side of Charm City, this family-owned shop has the equipment and staff know-how to make your invention come to life. These guys aren't quite the Myth Busters of Baltimore, but they are some of the brightest and best you'll find in fabrication engineering. Their facility features equipment for injection molding and production, as well as engineering and design. Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.