Without nails, pictures would congregate unseen and unloved at ankle level, tying shoelaces together in misguided attempts to get attention. Stave off picture-frame pranks with today's Groupon: for $10, you get $20 worth of home-improvement supplies at Dickson Brothers True Value in Cambridge.

A Harvard Square fixture for more than 50 years, Dickson Brothers equips crafty carpenters and handy homeowners with home-improvement supplies to help execute DIY restorations. Create family-room frescoes with California and Pratt & Lambert paints ($36.99/gallon), using tidy tools such as brooms ($5.69), irons ($17.99), and vacuums ($69.99) as inspiration. Illuminate lavish living spaces with lava lamps ($17.99) while brand-new teakettles ($20.99) warm up human interiors.

Dickson Brothers' helpful handymen also craft keys ($1.75) to lock and unlock homes, cars, and keep beloved bi-wheeled land-chariots ($15.99). Whether you're setting up new shelving or reanimating butlers made from discarded toaster parts, Dickson Brothers provides the tools for weekends filled with domestic refurbishments.

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