Posted on 11/08/2018 8:27:40 AM PST by deandg99
By now, just about everyone has watched one or more local stores close their doors for good. Lowe’s, a hardware and home improvement store that has been around for 72 years, is closing around 50 of their locations just after Christmas.
They’re the most recent victim of the retail apocalypse. Thousands of brick and mortar stores closed their doors this year as executives tried to staunch the bleeding in some companies and othersHere’ went bankrupt. Buyers are flocking to the internet to purchase their goods from companies with lower overhead (and thus lower prices.) And the economy, despite claims of grandeur, doesn’t seem to be thriving for everybody.
Why is Lowe’s closing stores?
(Excerpt) Read more at dcdirtylaundry.com ...
“Lowe’s, a hardware and home improvement store that has been around for 72 years”
Misleading.
Only been a big national chain well-known for about 25. Just like Wal-Mart, and Home Despot, and all the other “big-box” cookie-cutter chains.
Our Lowe’s is much better than than our Home Depot. The customer service sucks at HD. Lowe’s return policy is the best too. Prices also better. If I can’t find it at Lowe’s then I’ll try HD.
It could be a case of local management here.
this isn’t really part of the “retail apocalypse” trend caused by internet shopping ... it’s not like you can buy concrete blocks and 2x10s online and have them shipped by UPS ... this is simply a matter of overbuilding and ordinary retail competition ...
I like Lowes.
Out of 2394 stores. They are over built and can’t compete with Home Depot
I worked in a local mom and pop hardware shop when I was in high school and loved it. Because I love tools and the like. It was always amazing to me that people would come in and ask me, a 16 or 17 year old, how to properly seal their gas line and things like that. I happened to know it (”Pipe dope, sir, never teflon tape on gas.”) but it’s a testament to how uninformed but needy people will take guidance from anyone who seems to know what their talking about, anyone at all.
Most framing lumber you see at Lowes or HD are #2 SPF S4 which means they are a grade 3 or 4 in real terms. SPF is Spruce, Pine Fir, the S4 means surface dry 4 sides. Framing lumber is shipped at about 20% moisture content and dries in use to about 6 to 9$ moisture depending on where you are. The stacks at Lowes and HD are kept indoors in a conditioned space (heated and cooled) thus the are drying in the racks, as they dry in the racks they are un-restrained (as in not fastened in a structure) this is why they twist and warp.
I’ve been a builder over 40 years, yards I buy from the lumber is kept outdoors in the shade, the wood is more stable prior to use that way. Also lumber that is allowed to air dry to far will be harder to fasten (nail or screw) and split more easily. I try not to order material too far ahead as protecting it from sun damage ( more twisting and warping) is a problem.
That being said, as far as interior finish materials (wood) I try to buy them as far ahead as possible so they can be stickered (stacked with air spaces) inside to acclimate and harden off.
I’m not too far from a town of approx. 25,000 (in a 4-county “micropolitan” area of a bit under 100k) in the US mid-south, with TWO Lowes stores, a Home Depot, and said to be coming soon, Menards. There are also 3 other substantial lumberyards, at least two large discount / “surplus” home improvement stores, and 3 or 4 other building supply operations (I may not know of all of them), in addition to at least a few hardware stores... Neither Lowe’s store is on the list. I’d judge the overall economy in the 4-county area as currently “decent”, but a little behind the US as a whole. Business must not be TOO bad...
The one in Irving never had a chance, swing a dead cat and you’ll hit 3 home depots.
Yeah, that is an unholy mess over there.
I don't know about that. On most items, locally, Lowe's prices are a bit better. A closure of 15 stores in the US is a minor readjustment for the company as a whole.
Now, if the US economy in general stays good, but these closings are followed up in a year or two by a much larger number, say, 150 or more Lowe's stores closing in the US, that would be much more significant...
Menards (Midwestern chain) sale prices are often better than Lowe's, though.
Lowe’s offers a 10% discount for Veterans,-—————
if you give them a copy of your DD-214, your record of military service.
I told them to keep their discount. I will not sell them my personal information for their discount.
Your post is spot on.
I was at one time a vendor for both companies...
I hated trying to work with Lowe’s for refillment and inventory control needs...
HD was great to work with...mgrs cared about actually having my products to sell...
A Lowe’s store was only open for about three years-it was unable to compete against the more established Home Depot store 1/2 mile away.
LOL! I know exactly what you mean. It’s the damndest thing I ever saw. I’ve seen straighter cork screws.
Thanks for the two video links. That is amazing. I had no idea that is how wood is cut with the grain these days. How do they straighten the curved boards that were cut with the grain?
I’m in Minnesota. You’ll soon get used to the constant “Save Big Money At Menards” radio spots. Their 11% off sales are pretty good, though.
Evidently the boards straighten out as they dry (in theory).
I went to a mom and pop store while helping a friend with a plumbing project. The 10 year old kid who helped me was absolutely amazing in his knowledge of copper pipe fittings.
It was really cool.
I’ve been to a few hardware show’s the co-ops (Do it best, ACE etc) put on. It’s really cool to see entire families there buying stuff for the store.
Go read the article.....Home D pot is doing multiples better. Doesn’t matter what your local is doing. Home Depot is international
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