https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/lowes-is-closing-51-stores-in-the-us-and-canada/ar-BBPmBOB?ocid=spartandhp
It looks like one of the two home decorating and home centers is cutting back.
I guess the home improvement store count has likely hit its peak, just as what has happened with clothing/shoes and books in recent years.
The store closures are very sporadic. The only one in my 4 state area (PA, NJ, DE, MD) to close is in Shippensburg. Only 20 in the US are closing, so not a huge amount.
2 are in NYC...can't imagine they're very big stores, or maybe the space is just too costly to run them as home improvement stores.
Lowe's is really the third-place home improvement store of its type, behind Menards and Home Depot. Around here, if there's a Menards, Home Depot, and a Lowe's, it's the Lowe's that closes. Granted, Menards is privately-owned, but I get the feeling that the rankings are as follows:
1. Menards.
2. Home Depot.
3. Lowe's.
I had never even heard of Menards until just now, whereas Home Depot and Lowes are both nationwide.
That is not to say Menards can't be as good as the other two... it probably is as good, or better (just like Wegmans is superior to all other grocery stores even though much of the nation has never heard of it :-P)
I think this is just closing a few poor performing stores, rather than something about a changing retail market.
Many of the things HI stores sell are "internet proof". For example if you need a small part to repair your sink, you are going to buy it locally and fix it today, not order it in the mail.
Quote from: webny99 on November 05, 2018, 03:26:57 PM
That is not to say Menards can't be as good as the other two... it probably is as good, or better
It isn't. Menards is cheap. For some products, that might be what you're looking for, but others not so much.
The constant slogan is "save big money at Menards". Not the slogan of a quality-driven company.
Quote from: kphoger on November 05, 2018, 03:44:55 PM
Quote from: webny99 on November 05, 2018, 03:26:57 PM
That is not to say Menards can't be as good as the other two... it probably is as good, or better
It isn't. Menards is cheap. For some products, that might be what you're looking for, but others not so much.
The constant slogan is "save big money at Menards". Not the slogan of a quality-driven company.
IMHO, they're better than Home Depot at most things (except appliances). They seem to have a wider range of items, and even a real lumber yard in the back (as opposed to the few odd board Home Depot has lying around).
Quote from: Brandon on November 05, 2018, 03:19:41 PM
Lowe's is really the third-place home improvement store of its type, behind Menards and Home Depot. Around here, if there's a Menards, Home Depot, and a Lowe's, it's the Lowe's that closes. Granted, Menards is privately-owned, but I get the feeling that the rankings are as follows:
1. Menards.
2. Home Depot.
3. Lowe's.
I really only go to Lowe's if I can't get what I need at HD. The closest Menards is quite far, much farther than HD or Lowe's.
Quincy, MA? Good riddance. I had a terrible customer service experience there around this time last year when purchasing a new washer and dryer.
Lowe's is notorious for piss-pitiful customer service around here. The only qualification you need to work at Lowe's is "have a pulse."
HD is said to be the top hardware/home-improvement chain, with Lowe's at #2, but it's not the case around here at all. There are far more Lowe's stores than HD locations. I'm not sure if that has to do with our proximity to their HQ state (North Carolina) or what, but one would be hard-pressed to drive through Kentucky and think HD was bigger than Lowe's.
Home Depot was a late entrant into Kentucky, however, and the store in Frankfort opened and closed within a very short timeframe.
Quote from: hbelkins on November 05, 2018, 08:32:03 PM
HD is said to be the top hardware/home-improvement chain, with Lowe's at #2, but it's not the case around here at all. There are far more Lowe's stores than HD locations. I'm not sure if that has to do with our proximity to their HQ state (North Carolina) or what, but one would be hard-pressed to drive through Kentucky and think HD was bigger than Lowe's.
Home Depot was a late entrant into Kentucky, however, and the store in Frankfort opened and closed within a very short timeframe.
Lowe's is king in eastern NC. HD opened stores there roughly 10+ years ago and Lowe's creamed them big time. Locals are die-hard Lowe's fans. Hell, HD opened a brand new store in Wilson, NC in 2008 and it barely lasted a year (closed January 2010). That building is now a Hobby Lobby. All the HD stores in eastern NC are closed now.
My brother works for a Lowe's in Connecticut. The store along US Route 1 in Orange will be closing soon.
The Orange, CT one that is closing is kind of in an out of the way area of the retail strip down near the West Haven line on route 1. There are 2 within 12 minutes of me; one in my town and one in the next town over that are both remaining open. We already had one in Meriden that was a renovated and expanded former Ames location that came and went in about 2 years, and has sat vacant now for about 7. In addition to the Lowe's in my town, we have not 1, but 2 Home Depots on opposite sides of town. My business partner's brother took a job at Lowe's about a year ago after getting a retirement buyout package from his old company, and has already worked his way up to department head. At least his location is surviving.
Quote from: Brandon on November 05, 2018, 03:19:41 PM
Lowe's is really the third-place home improvement store of its type, behind Menards and Home Depot. Around here, if there's a Menards, Home Depot, and a Lowe's, it's the Lowe's that closes. Granted, Menards is privately-owned, but I get the feeling that the rankings are as follows:
1. Menards.
2. Home Depot.
3. Lowe's.
Menards isn't even #3, dude...
(https://stores.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Home-Improve-PP.jpg)
Quote from: Hot Rod Hootenanny on November 05, 2018, 10:14:01 PM
Quote from: Brandon on November 05, 2018, 03:19:41 PM
Lowe's is really the third-place home improvement store of its type, behind Menards and Home Depot. Around here, if there's a Menards, Home Depot, and a Lowe's, it's the Lowe's that closes. Granted, Menards is privately-owned, but I get the feeling that the rankings are as follows:
1. Menards.
2. Home Depot.
3. Lowe's.
Menards isn't even #3, dude...
(https://stores.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Home-Improve-PP.jpg)
Ace Hardware is the one I was going to mention. Thanks. Anyway, we've got more Home Depot locations here than Lowe's due to the proximity to their home base in ATL.
Quote from: hbelkins on November 05, 2018, 08:32:03 PM
HD is said to be the top hardware/home-improvement chain, with Lowe's at #2, but it's not the case around here at all. There are far more Lowe's stores than HD locations. I'm not sure if that has to do with our proximity to their HQ state (North Carolina) or what, but one would be hard-pressed to drive through Kentucky and think HD was bigger than Lowe's.
They're usually country-wide or world-wide numbers...rarely do they compare relatively small areas. Lowes definitely is bigger around their headquarters; I'm sure Home Depot probably has the same distinction around theirs.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on November 05, 2018, 10:22:08 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on November 05, 2018, 08:32:03 PM
HD is said to be the top hardware/home-improvement chain, with Lowe's at #2, but it's not the case around here at all. There are far more Lowe's stores than HD locations. I'm not sure if that has to do with our proximity to their HQ state (North Carolina) or what, but one would be hard-pressed to drive through Kentucky and think HD was bigger than Lowe's.
They're usually country-wide or world-wide numbers...rarely do they compare relatively small areas. Lowes definitely is bigger around their headquarters; I'm sure Home Depot probably has the same distinction around theirs.
Yeah Home Depot is big here in the Deep South. More of their stores here than Lowe's.
I have to disagree with those who claim a big difference between Home Depot and Lowe's.
Though I generally don't prefer to support national big box category killers, I've been in several Home Depot and Lowe's stores in California, Florida, and Pennsylvania when I was in need of something I couldn't get at a local store or picking up supplies at a late hour when smaller independent hardware stores are closed. And in my opinion, I'd be hard pressed to find two retail chains that are
more similar than Home Depot and Lowe's. From the product assortments to the layouts of the stores to the indifferent and often incompetent service, they're virtually identical. In fact a few times when I've wanted to return an unneeded item but no longer have the receipt, I've been stumped trying to figure out which of the two I purchased it from–and don't want to be embarrassed trying to return a Lowe's item to Home Depot.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on November 05, 2018, 03:01:45 PM
The store closures are very sporadic. The only one in my 4 state area (PA, NJ, DE, MD) to close is in Shippensburg.
And that surprised me considering that the corridor from Chambersburg through Shippensburg has shown fairly strong growth in recent years. I would have expected a Lowe's in a declining area like Johnstown or Uniontown would have been a more likely target for closure.
Don't even have any Menard's in the northeastern US. Nearest one to me is in Warren, OH. Ace stores around here are pretty much confined to the old locally operated mom & pop hardware stores, many of which used to be True Values, who seemed to pull operations out of New England about 15 years ago.
Quote from: jp the roadgeek on November 06, 2018, 12:00:43 AM
Don't even have any Menard's in the northeastern US. Nearest one to me is in Warren, OH. Ace stores around here are pretty much confined to the old locally operated mom & pop hardware stores, many of which used to be True Values, who seemed to pull operations out of New England about 15 years ago.
Yeah it's the same situation here, no Menard's in the southeastern US and the closest one is in Lewis Center, Orange Township, Ohio.
There is a Lowes store 1 & 1/2 mile from my house.
Quote from: Beltway on November 06, 2018, 12:09:18 AM
There is a Lowes store 1 & 1/2 mile from my house.
Closest Lowe's store near here is about five miles out. Home Depot's closest store near here is about 3.2 miles out.
Quote from: kphoger on November 05, 2018, 03:44:55 PM
Quote from: webny99 on November 05, 2018, 03:26:57 PM
That is not to say Menards can't be as good as the other two... it probably is as good, or better
It isn't. Menards is cheap. For some products, that might be what you're looking for, but others not so much.
The constant slogan is "save big money at Menards". Not the slogan of a quality-driven company.
Agree 110%. Especially true for tools - house brands for Menards and Home Depot aren't even close. Menards likes to bully municipalities around. If they don't get their way, they threaten to close up and build in the neighboring town and leave a giant empty store in its wake. While not likely unique to Menards, they've also been in trouble for numerous environmental messes as well. Avoid them like the plague for any car care products.
Menards does have a few pluses over HD - lighting and electrical parts, landscaping materials, and lumber (just be sure to inspect it before you drive away). They also have a small mattress department -- mostly Serta products they have made especially for Menards.
As for Lowes, it's hard to say...they don't have any stores in the Madison-area (but they sure like to advertise around here). The closest one is 65 miles away. We do enjoy browsing there, but I honestly can't remember the last time we bought something there.
Employees are interchangeable idiots for the most part...3-way tie in my book. If you want any real advice, go to a neighborhood hardware store.
No HDs in Dubuque or surrounding. That Lowes you speak of might be the one in Dubuque.
The problem with Menards is the insistence on the mail-in rebate and retail credit cards...
Quote from: webny99I had never even heard of Menards until just now,
Despite all the time you say you've spent in Minnesota...?
Quote from: jp the roadgeekmany of which used to be True Values, who seemed to pull operations out of New England about 15 years ago.
Southern New England, perhaps. Many of the town stores across northern New England are still aligned with True Value, including my local store here.
-----------------
Regarding the OP, noticed only one store closing in all of New England (Quincy, MA), but several aligned stores across the border in Quebec.
Quote from: briantroutman on November 05, 2018, 11:58:18 PM
I have to disagree with those who claim a big difference between Home Depot and Lowe's.
Though I generally don't prefer to support national big box category killers, I've been in several Home Depot and Lowe's stores in California, Florida, and Pennsylvania when I was in need of something I couldn't get at a local store or picking up supplies at a late hour when smaller independent hardware stores are closed. And in my opinion, I'd be hard pressed to find two retail chains that are more similar than Home Depot and Lowe's. From the product assortments to the layouts of the stores to the indifferent and often incompetent service, they're virtually identical.
That's been my observation too. Here, there's a Lowe's and a HD and if it wasn't for the signs, I wouldn't be able to tell which store I was in. Unlike eastern NC where they couldn't coexist, both seem to do good business here.
Quote from: SSOWorld on November 06, 2018, 02:56:40 AM
No HDs in Dubuque or surrounding. That Lowes you speak of might be the one in Dubuque.
Delavan (https://www.lowes.com/store/WI-Delavan/2545). Oddly, the Dubuque store doesn't even show up in the search list unless you type in a Madison and areas south or west of Madison.
QuoteThe problem with Menards is the insistence on the mail-in rebate and retail credit cards...
I loathe their rebate system. They do it because they know a good percentage of their customers are lazy and/or frustrated and therefore won't go after the "free money".
Quote from: DaBigE on November 06, 2018, 12:48:19 AMEmployees are interchangeable idiots for the most part...3-way tie in my book. If you want any real advice, go to a neighborhood hardware store.
Agree 1000%
Quote from: webny99 on November 05, 2018, 03:26:57 PM
I had never even heard of Menards until just now, whereas Home Depot and Lowes are both nationwide.
That is not to say Menards can't be as good as the other two... it probably is as good, or better (just like Wegmans is superior to all other grocery stores even though much of the nation has never heard of it :-P)
Menard's is Midwestern regional. They have about 300 locations in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Kentucky. Kind of surprising that there reach goes as far as Wyoming but they are headquartered in Wisconsin.
Quote from: Flint1979 on November 06, 2018, 09:47:11 AM
Quote from: webny99 on November 05, 2018, 03:26:57 PM
I had never even heard of Menards until just now, whereas Home Depot and Lowes are both nationwide.
That is not to say Menards can't be as good as the other two... it probably is as good, or better (just like Wegmans is superior to all other grocery stores even though much of the nation has never heard of it :-P)
Menard's is Midwestern regional. They have about 300 locations in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Kentucky. Kind of surprising that there reach goes as far as Wyoming but they are headquartered in Wisconsin.
HQed in an unincorporated township area right adjacent to Eau Claire, WI.
Mke
I'm not totally sure about other parts of Michigan but at least in my part of the state Home Depot seems to have the top spot between themselves, Lowe's and Menard's. There are two HD's in Saginaw, one each in Bay City and Midland and 5 in Genesee County which is where Flint is located. Now for Lowe's, Saginaw and Midland both have one location and Genesee County has 2 locations. Now for Menard's Saginaw and Bay City both have one location, while Genesee County has 2 locations.
So in the area's I mentioned:
Home Depot has 7 locations
Lowe's has 4 locations
Menard's has 4 locations
For Genesee County, the Home Depot's are in Burton, Flint (Corunna Road), Flint (Hill Road), Flushing and Fenton. The Lowe's are in Flint and Burton (both of which look like they'll be closing) and the Menard's are in Clio and Davison. Menard's obviously has locations where HD and Lowe's do not.
Out of the two Michigan Lowe's locations closing both are directly across the street from a Home Depot. And Menard's doesn't have a huge presence in the area only having a location in Clio and Davison.
Quote from: mgk920 on November 06, 2018, 09:55:58 AM
Quote from: Flint1979 on November 06, 2018, 09:47:11 AM
Quote from: webny99 on November 05, 2018, 03:26:57 PM
I had never even heard of Menards until just now, whereas Home Depot and Lowes are both nationwide.
That is not to say Menards can't be as good as the other two... it probably is as good, or better (just like Wegmans is superior to all other grocery stores even though much of the nation has never heard of it :-P)
Menard's is Midwestern regional. They have about 300 locations in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Kentucky. Kind of surprising that there reach goes as far as Wyoming but they are headquartered in Wisconsin.
HQed in an unincorporated township area right adjacent to Eau Claire, WI.
Mke
I'm pretty sure I've been past it before. Is it near the US-12 and I-94 interchange? If so then I've been past it before.
Quote from: SP Cook on November 05, 2018, 03:39:10 PM
I think this is just closing a few poor performing stores, rather than something about a changing retail market.
Many of the things HI stores sell are "internet proof". For example if you need a small part to repair your sink, you are going to buy it locally and fix it today, not order it in the mail.
The two Michigan locations closing are located directly across the street from a Home Depot. Both are in the Flint area across town from each other.
Quote from: Hot Rod Hootenanny on November 05, 2018, 10:14:01 PM
Quote from: Brandon on November 05, 2018, 03:19:41 PM
Lowe's is really the third-place home improvement store of its type, behind Menards and Home Depot. Around here, if there's a Menards, Home Depot, and a Lowe's, it's the Lowe's that closes. Granted, Menards is privately-owned, but I get the feeling that the rankings are as follows:
1. Menards.
2. Home Depot.
3. Lowe's.
Menards isn't even #3, dude...
(https://stores.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Home-Improve-PP.jpg)
I would put an asterisk on Ace and have to put them on par with True Value's level of hardware store. Ace Hardware can vary from store to store for size and the goods on hand. For example, not many Ace's have full lumberyards, some will repair, but not sell windows nor window screens. Some do home/business delivery, some don't. Some offer free popcorn, some don't.
It is true that there are more Aces than Lowe's/Home Depots, but they don't come close to the complete size or scope of the latter two.
Quote from: thenetwork on November 06, 2018, 11:03:39 AM
I would put an asterisk on Ace and have to put them on par with True Value's level of hardware store. Ace Hardware can vary from store to store for size and the goods on hand.
I think it's also noteworthy that Ace and True Value are examples of an entirely different class of business.
Home Depot, Lowe's, Menards, 84 Lumber, and several other regional home improvement retailers are chains of corporate-owned locations–with locations sited, designed, and managed by a single corporate parent that's steering the company.
On the other hand, Ace, True Value, Do It Best, and probably a few others are not corporate-owned chains but instead retailer-owned cooperatives. Essentially, your neighborhood "Mabel's Ace Hardware" is a local business, likely owned and operated by someone who lives in your community and would be operating her store independently as "Mabel's Hardware" if co-ops like Ace didn't exist. Mabel buys into the Ace cooperative, and Ace in turn provides Mabel with lower prices on inventory of hardware and other products, support with marketing and management of her business, and other benefits. But Mabel is still an independent business owner, and within certain limits specificed by Ace, she can set her own hours, plan her own store layout, decide what products and services she wants to offer, and so on.
Quote from: froggie on November 06, 2018, 06:21:37 AM
Quote from: webny99
I had never even heard of Menards until just now,
Despite all the time you say you've spent in Minnesota...?
I was thinking the same thing.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on November 05, 2018, 10:22:08 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on November 05, 2018, 08:32:03 PM
HD is said to be the top hardware/home-improvement chain, with Lowe's at #2, but it's not the case around here at all. There are far more Lowe's stores than HD locations. I'm not sure if that has to do with our proximity to their HQ state (North Carolina) or what, but one would be hard-pressed to drive through Kentucky and think HD was bigger than Lowe's.
They're usually country-wide or world-wide numbers...rarely do they compare relatively small areas. Lowes definitely is bigger around their headquarters; I'm sure Home Depot probably has the same distinction around theirs.
Speaking internationally, I don't think I've ever seen a Lowe's in Mexico, but I've seen several Home Depot locations there.
Quote from: kphoger on November 06, 2018, 01:03:09 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on November 05, 2018, 10:22:08 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on November 05, 2018, 08:32:03 PM
HD is said to be the top hardware/home-improvement chain, with Lowe's at #2, but it's not the case around here at all. There are far more Lowe's stores than HD locations. I'm not sure if that has to do with our proximity to their HQ state (North Carolina) or what, but one would be hard-pressed to drive through Kentucky and think HD was bigger than Lowe's.
They're usually country-wide or world-wide numbers...rarely do they compare relatively small areas. Lowes definitely is bigger around their headquarters; I'm sure Home Depot probably has the same distinction around theirs.
Speaking internationally, I don't think I've ever seen a Lowe's in Mexico, but I've seen several Home Depot locations there.
Distance-wise Home Depot is closer to Mexico than Lowe's so it makes sense to have locations there.
Quote from: froggie on November 06, 2018, 06:21:37 AM
Quote from: webny99I had never even heard of Menards until just now,
Despite all the time you say you've spent in Minnesota...?
Now that you say that, I might recall seeing one... maybe... but I think it was at least 10 years ago in North Dakota. I'm very diligent in trying
not to do any shopping when I'm away from home. I know Minnesota has Cub Foods, and I have been in there a few times, as well as to MOA, and a few different gas stations and restaurants, but that's literally about the extent of it.
Just for interest, I searched "Menards near Lakeville, MN", and "Menards near Minneapolis, MN" on Google Maps. I found a few results, but none of them are in specific areas I've been to with any frequency. If I saw Menards off a freeway exit or in passing on a road trip, I could have easily seen it and had no idea it was in the same realm as Home Depot and Lowes, possibly even thinking it was a grocery store.
Quote from: webny99 on November 06, 2018, 02:22:08 PM
Quote from: froggie on November 06, 2018, 06:21:37 AM
Quote from: webny99I had never even heard of Menards until just now,
Despite all the time you say you've spent in Minnesota...?
...I could have easily seen it and had no idea it was in the same realm as Home Depot and Lowes, possibly even thinking it was a grocery store.
You're partially correct there...the newer/larger/remodeled Menards do carry a selection of food somewhere between the level of a convenience store and small grocery store. Fleet Farm, another midwestern chain, has recently adopted an expanded grocery section in their newer stores as well.
Quote from: DaBigE on November 06, 2018, 02:39:48 PM
Quote from: webny99 on November 06, 2018, 02:22:08 PM
Quote from: froggie on November 06, 2018, 06:21:37 AM
Quote from: webny99I had never even heard of Menards until just now,
Despite all the time you say you've spent in Minnesota...?
...I could have easily seen it and had no idea it was in the same realm as Home Depot and Lowes, possibly even thinking it was a grocery store.
You're partially correct there...the newer/larger/remodeled Menards do carry a selection of food somewhere between the level of a convenience store and small grocery store. Fleet Farm, another midwestern chain, has recently adopted an expanded grocery section in their newer stores as well.
Home Depot has a selection of snacks that would match what you would find for sale at a small gas station. I assume Lowe's is similar, I honestly hadn't noticed on my handful of visits.
Quote from: briantroutman on November 06, 2018, 11:37:25 AM
Quote from: thenetwork on November 06, 2018, 11:03:39 AM
I would put an asterisk on Ace and have to put them on par with True Value's level of hardware store. Ace Hardware can vary from store to store for size and the goods on hand.
I think it's also noteworthy that Ace and True Value are examples of an entirely different class of business.
Home Depot, Lowe's, Menards, 84 Lumber, and several other regional home improvement retailers are chains of corporate-owned locations–with locations sited, designed, and managed by a single corporate parent that's steering the company.
On the other hand, Ace, True Value, Do It Best, and probably a few others are not corporate-owned chains but instead retailer-owned cooperatives. Essentially, your neighborhood "Mabel's Ace Hardware" is a local business, likely owned and operated by someone who lives in your community and would be operating her store independently as "Mabel's Hardware" if co-ops like Ace didn't exist. Mabel buys into the Ace cooperative, and Ace in turn provides Mabel with lower prices on inventory of hardware and other products, support with marketing and management of her business, and other benefits. But Mabel is still an independent business owner, and within certain limits specificed by Ace, she can set her own hours, plan her own store layout, decide what products and services she wants to offer, and so on.
You beat me to it. Ace and True Value are basically franchisees. I was working at the newspaper in the town where I now work for KYTC 30-plus years ago when some local business owners opened a True Value hardware store. That store recently changed to an Ace. I haven't been in it since they were making the switch, so I'm not sure what may have changed other than the store layout. Not sure if there are any TV- or Ace-specific store brands or not.
Closing even some stores of the might Lowes that is one of two of the top home improvement stores in the nation is something to notice. Yes they are not closing all of them, but an action like that seems like the upper management is worried due to some low numbers.
With both locations in the Flint area that are closing for example there is a Home Depot directly across the street from both of them and on the west side of Flint there is another Home Depot about 5 miles from the one that's across the street from another Home Depot so Home Depot has two locations on the west side and one on the east side. There is yet another Home Depot on the south end of Flint on Hill Road. Menard's only has a presence in Davison and Clio and with the two Lowe's closing that leaves four Home Depot's as the only national home improvement store of it's kind in Flint, Michigan. Davison and Clio are suburbs of Flint but are further out in Genesee County from Flint so most Flint population won't shop at these stores. Clio's is next to a Walmart near an exit off I-75 and Davison's is right next to I-69 at an exit so they aren't hard to get to really.
Quote from: roadman65 on November 06, 2018, 09:11:06 PM
Closing even some stores of the might Lowes that is one of two of the top home improvement stores in the nation is something to notice. Yes they are not closing all of them, but an action like that seems like the upper management is worried due to some low numbers.
Yes, management's concerned that their bonuses might/will be slightly smaller than before. Lowes is still healthy and profitable. They are still seeing increases in same-store sales. Hardly a Sears fiasco by any stretch. Mainly, they're correcting store overbuilding that occurred previously.
Well I am glad of that. Hate to see a good thing come to an end.
Quote from: spooky on November 05, 2018, 04:40:58 PM
Quincy, MA? Good riddance. I had a terrible customer service experience there around this time last year when purchasing a new washer and dryer.
No kidding. Boo hoo for Lowes. No sympathy for either them or THD here. Worked for both them and HD in Las cruces for 10 years over a 14 year span. A major beat down. They take advantage of individuals that actually work, while promoting and protecting favorites and the lazy. Should have stayed in geotechnical that whole time, would have been in far better shape today. Only buy from Ace and small independents today, and will until day I die.
Quote from: Flint1979 on November 06, 2018, 10:06:29 AM
Quote from: mgk920 on November 06, 2018, 09:55:58 AM
Quote from: Flint1979 on November 06, 2018, 09:47:11 AM
Quote from: webny99 on November 05, 2018, 03:26:57 PM
I had never even heard of Menards until just now, whereas Home Depot and Lowes are both nationwide.
That is not to say Menards can't be as good as the other two... it probably is as good, or better (just like Wegmans is superior to all other grocery stores even though much of the nation has never heard of it :-P)
Menard's is Midwestern regional. They have about 300 locations in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Kentucky. Kind of surprising that there reach goes as far as Wyoming but they are headquartered in Wisconsin.
HQed in an unincorporated township area right adjacent to Eau Claire, WI.
Mike
I'm pretty sure I've been past it before. Is it near the US-12 and I-94 interchange? If so then I've been past it before.
Yea, it's along US 12 just east of I-94, adjacent to the Eau Claire city limits on the city's west side.
Mike
Quote from: mgk920 on November 07, 2018, 09:58:26 AM
Quote from: Flint1979 on November 06, 2018, 10:06:29 AM
Quote from: mgk920 on November 06, 2018, 09:55:58 AM
Quote from: Flint1979 on November 06, 2018, 09:47:11 AM
Quote from: webny99 on November 05, 2018, 03:26:57 PM
I had never even heard of Menards until just now, whereas Home Depot and Lowes are both nationwide.
That is not to say Menards can't be as good as the other two... it probably is as good, or better (just like Wegmans is superior to all other grocery stores even though much of the nation has never heard of it :-P)
Menard's is Midwestern regional. They have about 300 locations in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Kentucky. Kind of surprising that there reach goes as far as Wyoming but they are headquartered in Wisconsin.
HQed in an unincorporated township area right adjacent to Eau Claire, WI.
Mike
I'm pretty sure I've been past it before. Is it near the US-12 and I-94 interchange? If so then I've been past it before.
Yea, it's along US 12 just east of I-94, adjacent to the Eau Claire city limits on the city's west side.
Mike
Ok yup that was it. I looked on Google Maps and I have been past it before.
One thing I've noticed is that in lots of places, Lowes and Walmart are adjacent or very close to each other, often in the same shopping complex.
I'm not a fan of Lowes. One experience I had with them left a very bad taste in my mouth. I try to avoid doing business with them whenever possible.
I'm glad they aren't closing the one in Manitowoc. I have an aunt who's been working there since they opened (around 2005/2006).
Never had a problem with Lowe's.
We did have an issue with Home Depot this past summer. The glass on our front storm door shattered from the record heat one day, and so our landlords called Home Depot to come out, measure the door, and install a new one. It took three weeks and multiple calls before it actually got done, and we noticed a few months later that some of the screws were loose.
Quote from: kphoger on November 08, 2018, 12:06:57 PMWe did have an issue with Home Depot this past summer. The glass on our front storm door shattered from the record heat one day, and so our landlords called Home Depot to come out, measure the door, and install a new one. It took three weeks and multiple calls before it actually got done, and we noticed a few months later that some of the screws were loose.
This matches every story I've heard about hiring Home Depot to perform any sort of construction on homes.
Quote from: kphoger on November 06, 2018, 01:03:09 PM
Speaking internationally, I don't think I've ever seen a Lowe's in Mexico, but I've seen several Home Depot locations there.
Don't worry, they have them there and in Canada as well.
I just noticed that the Dick's Sporting Goods store is -gone- from the Stony Point Fashion Mall in Richmond VA!
Out here Home Depot was the first on the spot -- and grabbed the best locations in the process. Lowe's seems, at least locally, to locate in "secondary" retail clusters or newer sites well away from other businesses. We just lost our #3, Orchard Supply -- but now there's a very large Ace store in one of their former facilities (Blossom Hill/Cambrian) -- fitting, since several small neighborhood Aces have closed up shop in the last couple of years. Now there's a substantial drive to get to any hardware vendor, regardless of size. Curiously, the discount tool retailer, Harbor Freight, has "shadowed" Home Depot in the area, often opening within a block of the larger facility.
Quote from: US 41 on November 08, 2018, 07:20:14 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 06, 2018, 01:03:09 PM
Speaking internationally, I don't think I've ever seen a Lowe's in Mexico, but I've seen several Home Depot locations there.
Don't worry, they have them there and in Canada as well.
I looked but couldn't find a site giving me international locations for Lowe's.
Quote from: hbelkins on November 07, 2018, 07:15:01 PM
One thing I've noticed is that in lots of places, Lowes and Walmart are adjacent or very close to each other, often in the same shopping complex.
Lowe's of Newington, CT is across the way from a Walmart. Not next to each other, but close enough to easily walk between the two. Probably about a 5 minute walk.
Here in Canada, Lowe's will close some 31 Rona stores,. Rona was a Canadian chain who was acquired by Lowe's in 2016.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/lowes-rona-closures-1.4892055
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/rona-closure-quebec-1.4892963
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/bay-roberts-rona-reaction-1.4893557
Competition here is harder as well, with the BMR Group https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMR_Group Home Hardware who's not related to Home Depot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Hardware and Canadian Tire.
Quote from: hbelkins on November 07, 2018, 07:15:01 PM
One thing I've noticed is that in lots of places, Lowes and Walmart are adjacent or very close to each other, often in the same shopping complex.
I'm not a fan of Lowes. One experience I had with them left a very bad taste in my mouth. I try to avoid doing business with them whenever possible.
I haven't noticed that really around here. One of the Lowe's in Genesee County closing is next to a Walmart and Sam's Club but the other one isn't near a Walmart. The one here in Saginaw is somewhat near a Walmart but not adjacent to it or in the same shopping plaza. The one in Midland is close to where Walmart is but isn't real close, you can't see the Walmart store from Lowe's and vice versa.
I had always thought that Murphy USA was owned by Walmart but I don't think it is just ironic that about 90% of their locations are located in proximity to a Walmart. Same with Baymont Inn I had always thought they were associated with Cracker Barrel since almost all the Baymont Inn's I've ever seen have been located near a Cracker Barrel.
The Quincy, MA never really stood a chance, it was 300 yards from one HD on Centre St and less than a mile from the Granite St HD, both in Quincy.
I fucking hate Lowe's now. They bought Orchard Hardware stores here in SoCal and closed them down. They were such nice stores and always seemed to have customers. They had just built a very nice one on Hollywood BLVD. in East Hollywood that I shopped at all the time and they closed it. They were so convenient offering great products without having to go into a large big box store and had quick checkout lines. Very frustrating. Who to blame for this one?
Suppose there is always Ace but I liked Orchard better just because of the way they designed their stores and they were also slightly larger but not huge like a Lowe's. For that reason, I will now go out of my way to not shop at Lowe's anymore.
Quote from: kphoger on November 09, 2018, 02:10:34 PM
Quote from: US 41 on November 08, 2018, 07:20:14 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 06, 2018, 01:03:09 PM
Speaking internationally, I don't think I've ever seen a Lowe's in Mexico, but I've seen several Home Depot locations there.
Don't worry, they have them there and in Canada as well.
I looked but couldn't find a site giving me international locations for Lowe's.
https://www.lowes.com.mx/stores
The only reason I knew Mexico had them was because I ran across one on GSV in Saltillo. There was a Home Depot right down the road too.
I watched this video on Lowe's vs. The Home Depot just last night:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=67bdaAWCrWU
Some key things I took from the video are: The reason Lowe's is closing some of these stores, if I recall correctly, may be because certain ones of these Lowe's stores were often too close to other Lowe's stores, sometimes being within 10 miles from one another (according to the video). The purpose of all these closings may have been to strengthen the success of existing stores and sales per store, since some Lowe's stores were so close to eachother. I agree with sentiments in this thread that, as a result, these closings probably don't signify some larger decline for Lowe's, rather just a strategical reorganization of store locations. Even though I believe The Home Depot may be the winner (in terms of success) in the competition, I think Lowe's is still doing pretty well. Also, a key difference between The Home Depot and Lowe's (taken from that video) may be that Lowe's does better primarily with consumers (ordinary people wanting home supplies) than professionals. The Home Depot may do better with appealing very much both to consumers and professionals. This may be why, according to the video itself and comments below which, many professionals may favor The Home Depot better. According to the video - when the economy is good, it is good for these businesses to target professionals, and when the economy is bad, it is good to target consumers. Both Lowe's and The Home Depot seemed to have adapted well to the changing economies over the decades, but The Home Depot seems to still have a better balance with both consumers and professionals, when compared to Lowe's (according to the video). I personally like both The Home Depot and Lowe's, but these are simply the interesting points I have taken from that video.