Home Centers

Home improvement retail Menards will open the first of two planned stores in Columbus, Ohio on April 12, according to an article in the Columbus Business Journal. 

The Eau Claire, Wis. retailer purchased the land for the site in 2008 but did not start construction until last May, according to the article. The company is also preparing to build a second location on the east side of Columbus. 

Ronald L. Sargent and J. Frank Brown -- the CEO of Staples and the dean of an international business school, respectively -- have been nominated for election to The Home Depot's board of directors at the company’s upcoming annual meeting on June 2.

Separately, David H. Batchelder, 61, has informed the Company that he has decided not to stand for re-election at the annual meeting. Batchelder, founder and principal of Relational Investors LLC, has been a director since 2007.

Wayne, N.J.-based roofing and ventilation manufacturer GAF was recently awarded four American Graphic Design Awards. 

The company also won an American Package Design Award for its TruSlate Sample Box. There were over 1,500 submissions in this contest, organized by Graphic Design USA magazine, which rewards packaging, p-o-p and related projects that are visually attractive and which feature designs that advance the brand and forge an emotional connection with the purchaser.

A 142,000-sq.-ft. Lowe's store is expected to open Aug. 1, and will be the first Lowe's in Edmonton, according to a report in the Edmonton Journal.

Lowe's ran a help-wanted ad for the store in the newspaper.

The company opened its first western Canadian store last September at the CrossIron Common, near Calgary. Two other Calgary locations are expected to open in the first quarter.

Mooresville, N.C.-based Lowe's announced Friday that Larry Stone, president and chief operating officer, will retire June 2 after more than four decades with the home improvement giant.

Stone has served in virtually every leadership position within store operations and merchandising during his 42-year career with the company, and many credit him for Lowe’s success and rise into the No. 2 position among home-improvement retailers

Nexxus Lighting's Array brand of LED light bulbs will be offered on Lowes.com and in 1,100 Lowe's stores across the United States beginning June 2011.

Lowe's will offer 17 different Array products, including Par 38, R30, R16, GU10 and MR-16 bulbs that have qualified for the Energy Star rating.

For the first time since 2005, The Home Depot and Lowe’s Cos. both delivered positive comparable-store sales in all four quarters of 2010. Last year was also the first year both companies showed an increase in full-year sales since 2005. 


These trends are strong evidence that the worst of the economic cycle has passed for the two home improvement retail giants.


Orlando, Fla. -- Chicago-based hardware co-op True Value Co. reported wholesale revenues increased 2.3% in the fourth quarter of 2010, and retail revenues increased 4.6% for the quarter.

CEO Lyle Heidemann delivered the preliminary results to True Value members during the General Session of the co-op's 2011 Spring & Rental Market held here in Orlando. 

"Our fourth quarter results should give us some momentum going into 2011," Heidemann said.