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Home Improvement (Lowe's, Rona, Home Depot)

Has anyone heard of what Lowe's is planning to roll-out across Canada - specific to their new small format stores?
 
I imagine Lowe's just may be following a similar strategy as their initiative to get into Manhattan...

http://commercialobserver.com/2014/06/lowes-sniffing-around-nyc-for-urban-concept-store/

Lowe’s Sniffing Around NYC for Urban Concept Stores
BY LAUREN ELKIES SCHRAM

Home improvement and hardware chain Lowe’s is looking to establish an urban concept in New York City a la the upscale Manhattan home furnishings chain Gracious Home, Commercial Observer has learned.

Lowe’s is considering space in a condominium occupied by a Food Emporium until May 2013 at 2000 Broadway at the northeast corner of 68th Street, a source with knowledge of the search said. A Winick Realty Group team led by Jeff Winick is marketing the space for Madison Capital. It includes 22,000 square feet on the ground floor, 2,000 square feet on the mezzanine level and 4,400 square feet on the lower level.

Another location Lowe’s is mulling is at SL Green Realty‘s 635 Sixth Avenue between 19th and 20th Streets, formerly the home of the Apex Technical School. According to the marketing flyer on RKF‘s website, there is available for lease 8,015 square feet on the ground floor, 8,776 feet on the second floor and 6,288 square feet on the lower level. The retail space can be combined with 13,000 square feet at 641 Sixth Avenue.

Lowe’s Companies is a home improvement company with more than 1,830 stores in the United States, Canada and Mexico. There are two traditional Lowe’s stores in Brooklyn and two in Staten Island. The Mooresville, N.C.-based chain, founded in 1946, had $53.4 billion in sales in fiscal year 2013, according to the company website.

Gracious Home has two locations on the Upper East Side, one on the Upper West Side and an annex in Chelsea. The company filed for bankruptcy in August 2010 and then closed its 23,000-square-foot store at Chelsea Landmark at 766 Sixth Avenue.

Lowe’s declined to comment as did SL Green, Winick and RKF. Madison Capital didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
 
Lowe's buys RONA http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repo...adas-rona-in-32-billion-deal/article28531490/

As a veteran of the Canadian powertools business, I've been expecting this merger for years. I imagine many of the small RONAs will change banners to BMR in Quebec, and some to Castle or other banners in Ontario and West. Many of my old contacts at Lowe's will likely be terminated, as this is going to be Lowe's run by Quebecers.

I imagine many suppliers to RONA/Lowe's will be nervously reviewing their VBAs (Vendor Buying Agreements). It's not usual for the VBAs to include a clause that if price disparity was found upon acquisitions, the merchant could demand a rebate for the difference over a set period of time. For example, Lowe’s buys RONA, and then sends a spreadsheet to Stanley-Black&Decker to compare what the two companies were paying for identical products, and then determines that RONA was paying more than Lowe’s, and then demands that Stanley reimburse Lowe’s for the amount RONA was overpaying for the last 12 months, resulting in a multi-million $ demand from Lowe’s against Stanley.
 
Just as some sort of home energy savings renovation rebate/credit maybe showing up in the next Ontario budget. Don't think it would be a big deal, like the last time. But, it'll sure create a small uptick in the renovation business for Lowes/Home Depot/Rona/etc..
 
Lowe's is closing 34 'underperforming' stores in Canada, including 26 Ronas

The stores, which include Lowe’s, RONA, and Reno-Depot brands, will close in January and February of 2020

November 20, 2019 9:34 AM EST


215966
 
Lowe's are huge stores with massive inventories and need a large steady stream of wallets through the door to keep them viable. Neither Big Blue or Big Orange have great relationships with contractors and depend on homeowners. Their main strength is the sheer scope of inventory they carry and, to some homeowners, their installation services (wouldn't touch them). Places like Thunder Bay and Brockville both have HD as well and I'm guessing they simply weren't big enough for both. I vaguely recall the last round of closings also included a number of 'smaller market' communities.
Most Ronas are more suited for smaller markets and are more amenable to contractors, but if my local store is an indication there seems to be a lot of stock drift lately and enlarging inventory - like trying to compete with Canadian Tire or something.
 
Who cares? Shut them all down. None of those three carry reels for 100' extension cord whilst all selling 100' extension cord.

Bunch of wankers.

I actually don't need them at all and I work in construction. Figure that. My other suppliers are more than adequate and all my tools are from Europe.
 
Who cares? Shut them all down. None of those three carry reels for 100' extension cord whilst all selling 100' extension cord.

Bunch of wankers.

I actually don't need them at all and I work in construction. Figure that. My other suppliers are more than adequate and all my tools are from Europe.

Where do you shop? And are the tools from Europe higher quality? (a stupid question, I'm sure)
 
Where do you shop? And are the tools from Europe higher quality? (a stupid question, I'm sure)

Lol, it's OK. ...it made me laugh in spite of its stupidity. ;) ♡ Yes, they are higher quality. Much higher in most cases. It's actually not even a question of quality though. It's a question of utility. The tools I use simply aren't available in big box stores except in their shittiest American iterations.

I get a lot of them in Europe but some of our suppliers carry Stubai, Wuko, and Freund Tools.
 
Lol, it's OK. ...it made me laugh in spite of its stupidity. ;) ♡ Yes, they are higher quality. Much higher in most cases. It's actually not even a question of quality though. It's a question of utility. The tools I use simply aren't available in big box stores except in their shittiest American iterations.

I get a lot of them in Europe but some of our suppliers carry Stubai, Wuko, and Freund Tools.

Thanks, I've never even heard of those brands. If we go by the old stereotype, I'd assume that German-made tools are very high quality. Are we talking power tools?
 
Lowe's is closing 34 'underperforming' stores in Canada, including 26 Ronas

The stores, which include Lowe’s, RONA, and Reno-Depot brands, will close in January and February of 2020

November 20, 2019 9:34 AM EST


View attachment 215966

Interesting that the smaller RONA store at Martin Grove & Belfield is staying open. See link.
 

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