Profiles

There is no doubt we are in an era of consolidation among independent home improvement retailers. Recent research from the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) clearly shows a trend toward fewer owners owning more stores. Accompanying this trend has …

When Joseph Burks devoted much of 2018 to remodeling Wholesale Lumber in Clint, Texas, he had no idea the redesign would allow the store to serve customers better through a pandemic. At the time, he was working through the tragedy …

In May, aging dams failed throughout a river system in Michigan, forcing more than 10,000 people to evacuate their homes and businesses to escape massive flooding. When the dams broke, lakes emptied, flooding thousands of structures in the state, including …

Proctor Ace Hardware in Neptune Beach, Florida, offers customers a variety of ways to buy flowers. They can go to the greenhouse and get live plants ready to plant in a garden or flowerpot or head over to the Floral …

Will Aubuchon W.E. Aubuchon Co. Inc. First Job: Aubuchon Hardware Warehouse Shop, age 13 “I learned a lot from the shop manager, Eric Berlo, as a person, a leader, a boss. His genuine kindness and care kept me focused as a …

The three largest big-box home improvement retailers in the U.S. have unique stories. Lowe’s, as the oldest, began in 1921 as an independently owned single store that grew to 15 locations before it became an investor-owned business in 1961. Read …

To read Hardware Retailing’s analysis of Lowe’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, click on the icons below and scroll down. Read the full Lowe’s 360 profile here.

Warren Shoulberg is a retail industry observer and a contributing writer to a variety of business publications, including Forbes. He spoke with Hardware Retailing about Lowe’s position in the home improvement industry and the opportunities the big-box retailer has. For a comprehensive …