When it comes to do-it-yourself projects, I've always favored the unexpected: a pink '50s blender doubling as a desk lamp; dining room valances set with dinner plates and cutlery; a six-foot Cleopatra disappearing through a mysterious painted door.

Fortunately, my favorite, Dave-of-all-skills husband not only shares my skewed decorating vision, but he can design, assemble, screw and glue virtually anything I can imagine.

Still, my least favorite part of the dream-to-reality decorating process is wandering through those predictable "Big Box" home centers while Dave sorts through 300 virtually identical pieces of wood, looking for the perfect one for our latest scare-our-parents home project. Boring!

Luckily, we've found a much more appealing source, right on the corner of Main and Summerfield, with enough variety to overwhelm even my hyperactive imagination: The Hardware Store of Asbury Park.

Drawer pulls. Goose Stopper. Potted mums. Driveway cleaner. Ice melter. Crock pots. Garden tools. Bird houses.

Don't let its apparent small size fool you. Sebastian "Sam" Vaccaro - who owns and manages the store with daughter Olivia and son Sebastian "Sammy" III - stocks or has ready access to a mind-boggling 88,800 items, and a quick visit would convince you that all 88,800 products are actually on display.

The Hardware Store is the direct descendent of Lazarow Brothers' Hardware, a venerable Asbury Park institution. The business did a short stint as Vitale's Hardware before Sam bought it 20 years ago and moved it to its present location.

And neatly presented along its packed, labyrinthine aisles is a complete selection of painting, plumbing, electrical, hardware, fastening, automotive, houseware and garden items, along with a wide selection of hand and power tools and accessories.

Hundreds of labeled bins hold connectors, elbows, clips, clamps, valves, adapters, screws, nuts, nails, plugs, couplings and more, in brass, stainless, nylon, zinc, copper and aluminum.

"I bet you can't find these copper nails in the ugly Big Box stores, and I bet they won't let you buy nails and screws by the piece, the pound, or the box," Sam brags, as I contemplate the birth of a nut-and-rubber-tubing necklace.

Grass edgers. Business cards. Banners. Battery testers. Barbecue grills. Du-rags. Novelty items. And enough home, driveway, and car scrubbing products to make my arm muscles hurt.

Sam and his family pride themselves on customer service, and I've never made it more than a few feet past the front door before someone offered to help.

"Everyone who comes through the door has a need, has a problem to solve, and we're here to help them solve it," Sam said.

"When I see someone leave the store without a purchase, I ask why. Was it the price, or was there an item we didn't have? Our customers tell us they look for convenience first, selection second, and price third, and we work hard to provide that."

Sam and his family comparison-shop the Big Box stores, and he proudly points to his competitive pricing on everything from contractor supplies to power tools to lifetime-guaranteed gardening equipment.

And, of course, as an Urban Enterprise Zone business, Sam only charges 3% sales tax and that revenue returns to help the Asbury Park business community.

The Vaccaros recently purchased the lot on Summerfield Avenue that sits behind their store, and they now offer and deliver an expanding array of bulk building supplies for contractors and do-it-yourselfers.

Sheet rock. Roofing materials. Concrete mix. Joint compound. Water heaters. Apartment appliances. Weather proofing. Molding.

"We get new deliveries every day, and our main supplier brings in half a truckload twice a week," Sam pointed out.

And, for those of us who remember the cheery "We rent sewer augers" sign that graced The Hardware Store window for several years, the Vaccaros are adding an expanded range of rental options including U-Hauls, roto-tillers, thatchers, jackhammers, floor sanders, pneumatic nailers, Bobcats and, of course, that all-important compactor equipment - whatever that is.

What are Sam's own favorites? He zips through the aisles pointing out his star performers:

Nevr-Dull silver polish. Howard's Restor-A-Finish wood products. Squirrel Away ("that fox urine formula really works"). Dad's Easy Stripper. De-Solv-It tar, grease and adhesive remover. Valspar paint ("rated tops by Consumer Guide"). And the aforementioned Gorilla glue ("absolutely the best").

And the latest customer hit? A brightly flowered hammer, with a set of flowered screwdrivers nestled in its handle, that first caught the eye of Sam's daughter Olivia.

"The last thing I wanted was a flowered hammer," Sam admits, "but I always listen to my daughter. They sold out in the first week."

And, high on my personal rating scale, Sam stocks the two product lines that are indispensable to any serious home improvement discussion: a refrigerator full of cold sodas and a counter full of chocolate bars.

Big Box stores, eat your boring hearts out.

The Hardware Store of Asbury Park is open Monday through Saturday, 7:45 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call them at 732-988-3339.