Home Depot closing 15 stores - first time ever.

[Stinky The Clown]

Just announced on MSNBC.

I am in the middle of some home improvement work and go there with some regularity. Every one of my three local stores are ghost towns. Few employees and fewer customers.

I don't feel bad for Home Depot. They're a right wing bunch (Praise Jaybus!) who have been fucking employees and ignoring customers for years.

I DO feel bad for the employees who will lose their jobs .... about 1300 of them.

[DU9598]

1. Lowe's

I went to Lowe's earlier in the week and there were three staff members for each customer, if not more. I would not be surprised if this is just the beginning.

[Gormy Cuss]

10. The last two trips to my local HD there were only two cashiers on duty

One at the self-checkout and the other at a standard cash register. Both areas had long lines of customers. These trips were on weekdays at around 5:00 PM. At the time I wondered if it was an intentional short staffing to keep down costs.

This same location two years ago was so busy on the weekends that they had staff directing traffic. That's why we got into the habit of going on a weeknight when it was only moderately busy.

[TooBigaTent]

2. Hopefully, Lowes will pick up the slack. It is way-Blue. And a much beeter store. nt

[TheDebbieDee]

4. I didn't know Lowe's was a blue company........

Thanks for the info - I'll be checking them out instead of Home Depot for my bookshelf project.

[Stinky The Clown]

13. I'm not sure they're blue. Maybe just less red.

[beachmom]

3. Home Depot refused to acknowledge the Green Movement in any big way.

I walked into that store the other day, looking for the Green section. There was none, just stuff scattered throughout the store. Home Depot should be leading the way in America going green, by finding a way to make green products cheaper -- something they are known for for everything else. Total lack of vision. Of course, the CEO of the company was busy doing fundraisers for Bush in Buckhead in 2004 in exchange for a bill which got rid of the tariffs of Chinese ceiling fans, leading to Home Depot getting a windfall of millions. Now that is gone, because the guy did not see that the world was changing. Karma coming back to bite him.

[lpbk2713]

5. Here are the locations closing ....

Link: http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2008/04/28/daily30.html


" North Carolina will not be affected by the closures. Home Depot (NYSE: HD) will shutter stores in Fort Wayne, Ind.; Marion, Ind.; Frankfort, Ky.; Opelousas, La.; Cottage Grove, Minn.; East Brunswick, N.J.; Saddle Brook, N.J.; Rome, N.Y.; Bismarck, N.D.; Findlay, Ohio; Lima, Ohio; Brattleboro, Vt.; Beaver Dam, Wis.; Fond du Lac, Wis.; and Milwaukee, Wis.

The closing stores represent less than 1 percent of the company's existing store portfolio but will affect some 1,300 employees. "


I never cared much for H/D but I feel bad for the employees affected.

[Donnachaidh]

6. Does this include stores that were built but NEVER opened?

We have at least one of those in my area. Built the usual big honking store, even started to take work apps, and then VERY quietly closed the doors, before this past Christmas.

[bdamomma]

7. it just never stops.

and just more people being choked by this sickening bush economy.

[notadmblnd]

8. I had a feeling they were in trouble.

I threw a fit last time I was there because I couldn't purchase a pretty basic item. A lawn rake, they were out. Just like they were out of ice melter and snow shovels during the winter. I asked why bother coming here if they cant keep very basic items in stock and why should I bother coming to Home Depot, when I just have to get back in my car and drive over to Lowes. That told me they were having trouble getting financing for their purchases. Good riddance Home Depot.

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

15. I can one up that

The last time I was in a HD they were out of door strikes..

[Johonny]

9. part of the housing bust?

If you can't pay the mortgage you can't pay to upgrade your house. Is this a sign the home improvement era is ending?

[TooBigaTent]

11. No. There are many of us who improve (not upgrade) our home because we want to

live there, not sell it for a profit.

As the economy continues to tank, I think that more people will be improving for their own benefit because they will have to stay in the home.

Only the flippers and speculators will not improve houses because they will not be able to make money re-selling it.

[Johonny]

17. true, but

The cost of major upgrades is pretty steep. Even when you do it yourself. I think a lot of the money for the remodels was obtained by people taking out equity from their homes. Still I believe your right. People will always want to improve their home, but my guess is the housing slump is going to slow these improvements because the money available for this is less now. I really don't know for sure if this is true.

[Stinky The Clown]

12. I actually think its temporary.

People are panicked right now. but when the shock wears off, those who find themselves surviving will start top improve their homes instead of moving up to a bigger/newer one. It happens in every housing down-cycle.

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

14. It was only a matter of time..

Home Depot and Lowe's grew on the rising home construction and renovations once those dried up there were going to be shutdowns:

"The stores to be closed consist of three in Wisconsin, two in Ohio, two in New Jersey, two in Indiana and one each in Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, North Dakota, New York and Vermont."

"Home Depot (NYSE: HD) will shutter stores in Fort Wayne, Ind.; Marion, Ind.; Frankfort, Ky.; Opelousas, La.; Cottage Grove, Minn.; East Brunswick, N.J.; Saddle Brook, N.J.; Rome, N.Y.; Bismarck, N.D.; Findlay, Ohio; Lima, Ohio; Brattleboro, Vt.; Beaver Dam, Wis.; Fond du Lac, Wis.; and Milwaukee, Wis."

[NightWatcher]

16. will the 15 Lowes that aare across the street from them be closing too?

around here, every HD has a Lowes across the street