Written By Glenn Prescot
Home Depot is a staple chain used by millions of Americans for their projects, being DIY, home improvement, décor etc. In this article we’ll list and describe 15 alternative stores similar to Home Depot which can be great options for home-owners or professionals alike.
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House Beautiful magazine takes seriously its mission to cater to readers who are proud do-it-yourselfers.
It therefore stands to reason that editors studied people who take charge of home repair, decorating, and building projects.
Here are the seven personality types editors and researchers came up with. Where do you fit?
Are you…
- The reluctant DIYer with a modest stash of brushes, rollers, and tools, many of which are gathering dust?
- The obsessive fixer upper who lives by this adage: “If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well”?
- An impulsive DIYer who sees a project waiting to be started and jumps in immediately?
- A klutz who possesses more enthusiasm than skill, but you’re willing to try anyway?
- The consummate planner? Do you prepare for your project like a general going into battle?
- The overwhelmed DIYer who wants to jump in, but fear of failure leads to procrastination?
- The person who starts a job enthusiastically but then loses interest and never finishes it?
What do all of these DIYers have in common?
They turn to Home Depot (HD) for supplies, advice, and good pricing because it is the most recognizable big box store devoted to the needs of fixer-uppers and contactors working for homeowners who would just as soon pay someone else to take charge.
Launched in 1978 during a coffee shop conversation between Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank, the entrepreneurs scared up funding from bankers and opened their first two locations in Atlanta, Georgia in 1979.
More than a supply hub, Home Depot offers DIY clinics, customer workshops and one-on-one sessions with professionals who know more than how to direct shoppers to the appliance section.
Further, the company devotes some profits to The Home Depot Foundation, a charity serving community and veterans’ needs.
Having adopted orange as the chain’s signature color, it’s easy to identify this store, but did you know that there are plenty of other retailers eager to compete? We introduce you to 15 stores like Home Depot so let’s see them below.
Note that the ranking below is in no particular order.
Table of Contents
1. Lowe’s
Once a small-town hardware store located in North Carolina, Lowe’s has made the leap to one of the biggest regional home improvement retailers comparatively fast.
Known for the signature red, white and blue logo that graces the exterior of its stores, this chain operates stand-alone satellite stores and smaller strip mall locations, serving homeowners and professional contractors alike.
Customer service is at the heart of its commitment to DIYers so whether you need lumber cut to order or half a dozen bathroom sinks, Lowe’s has you covered.
2. Hartville Hardware
Founded as a general farm store in Ohio in 1947, this small business has evolved over the decades to provide all manner of DIY products, yet the helpful service and lack of sales pressure for which the original location was best known has not changed a bit.
Sister companies — the Hartville Kitchen and Hartville Market Place and Flea Market – drives the store’s expansion and these days, shoppers turn to Hartville for room design, a full-service lumber yard, brand name power equipment and an impressive selection of appliances.
How big has this popular brand become? A typical Hartville building offers shoppers 7+ acres of helpful products under one roof!
3. Menard’s
Patrons recognize the signature green exterior color emblazoned with the store name atop a swash of color, but they may not realize that this family-owned DIY empire began as a single store in Eau Claire, Wisconsin in 1958.
Menard’s expanded so rapidly, there are now 300 locations in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Targeted advertising acumen has made chain’s “Save BIG Money” refrain familiar, but it’s rock-bottom warehouse prices and a vast product selection that makes Menard’s one of Home Depot’s biggest competitors.
4. Wayfair
The thought of turning to cyberspace to find a Home Depot experience was thought to be impossible by some – until Wayfair came along.
This brand, the brainchild of founders Niraj Shah and Steve Conine, turned home shopping on its ear in the early 2000s based on the theory that not every DIYer wants to shop crowded retail stores.
Wayfair’s sourcing makes this brand unique among competitors and shoppers in USA, Canada, the UK and Germany, all beneficiaries of this largesse, love searching for everything under the sun without having to leave home.
Their relentless online marketing campaign, sales and clearances deliver rewards in addition to saving shoppers money — just as long as those shoppers don’t mind waiting for their shipments to arrive.
5. Kohl’s
From bricks and mortar retail stores that advertise heavily in print and broadcast to an online presence that makes shopping for all manner of products (including clothing and jewelry) easy, Kohl’s stays above the fray as competitors have gone out of business.
Not exactly a DIY store, Kohl’s nevertheless offers decor and furnishing items that appeal to devoted consumers.
Established in Brookfield, Wisconsin in 1962, Kohl’s expanded to 76 Midwest locations before launching their online retail business.
Kohl’s corporate credits cyberspace with helping build brand recognition that now extends to 1,100 stores in 49 states in addition to its e-commerce platform.
6. Ace Hardware
Though there are currently 5,000+ Ace retail locations in the nation, Ace Hardware still operates like a local shop where all manner of tools, supplies, paint, lawn, and garden products are for sale and shoppers can count on advice from the experts.
Founded in Chicago in 1924, Ace is the oldest and most well-known business on this list, this unlike the others, it’s “a retailer-owned cooperative where independent owners operate the majority of locations, even though it is sometimes considered a franchise system.”
This is likely why every shopper feels as though Ace offers an authentic neighborhood experience since the franchisee owner is likely to be a neighbor, too.
7. World Market
World Market is perhaps the most enticing business on this list. Launched in the 1950s by a San Francisco entrepreneur with a passion for travel, World Market began operation on the city’s piers where exotic goods like hand-woven wicker goods were sold directly from crates unloaded from docked ships.
With success came expansion. A storefront on Fisherman’s Wharf opened in 1958 that launched a national chain.
World Market remains the go-to destination for international foods, design inspiration, decorative accessories and unique items crafted by international artisans.
It’s the place to go for those eager to show off their taste for the unusual.
8. Pier 1 Imports
Launched more than 55 years ago, Pier 1 Imports is known for inspiring home decorators by offering a wealth of unique goods sourced from all parts of the world.
Patrons know that the newest and most unusual art, furniture, lighting, rugs, tableware, and décor can be found within these smaller boutiques that are filled with treasures.
As such, comparing this chain to Home Depot is a stretch. Pier 1 Imports touts its philosophy of being a socially conscious company, so if you worry about social issues at points of manufacture, this could be your number one destination, too.
9. IKEA
The concept was pure Swedish when in Älmhult, Sweden resident and IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad’s opened his first retail shop in 1943.
IKEA — an acronym pairing the founder’s initials, the name of the farm on which he was raised and a nearby village – didn’t start stocking home furnishings until 1948 but since then, IKEA has become best known for its furnishings and anything related to homes.
IKEA not only launched a popular catalog but pioneered an in-house café serving Swedish foods.
Consumers are willing to drive long distances for an IKEA shopping experience, especially those craving a distinctly Scandinavian vibe when furnishing their digs.
10. Bed, Bath & Beyond
Dubbed the “golden child of big box stores” by Business Insider, Bed Bath & Beyond’s 1971 launch by entrepreneurs Warren Eisenberg and Leonard Feinstein proved that timing is everything.
Quickly becoming a recognizable brand, this chain employed a strategy of abundance, attracted shoppers who want to be overwhelmed by choices.
Growth throughout the 1980s remained steady despite competition as the chain altered its business model by creating superstores housing 20,000-square feet of merchandise.
Industry insiders say that the Bed, Bath and Beyond concept inspired Best Buy, Toys R Us and Costco startups.
Reaching $1 billion in sales in 1999, and with a 43-state presence, Bed, Bath & Beyond remains a shoppers favorite for more than just linens.
11. Costco
This membership-based chain arrived on the retail scene after Sam’s Club (owned by Walmart) helped establish the consumer warehouse model of doing business.
The multi-billion-dollar entity debuted in San Diego in 1976 under the Price Club brand name, originally established to serve small businesses exclusively.
Management came to the realization that Costco “could achieve far greater buying clout by also serving a selected audience of non-business members.”
Adopting the Costco name officially in 1993, this popular warehouse club has 206 locations, giving consumers tremendous buying power, especially for shoppers who want to buy in bulk.
12. Build
The official name is “Build with Ferguson,” and loyal patrons know that they can turn to this resource for a variety of projects, from updating a single room to building a house.
A wide variety of home improvement wares are found under one roof, from plumbing and lighting to hardware and appliances.
Build compares most closely to Home Depot, Menards, and Lowes, but the company has less of a national presence.
For shoppers who don’t live near a retail outlet, a visit to https://www.build.com/showroom offers a place to browse before placing orders and if you spend at least $49, standard ground shipping is free.
13. Floor & Decor
Floor & Décor calls itself “a leading specialty retailer of hard surface flooring with the broadest selection of tile, wood, stone, related tools, and flooring accessories at everyday low prices.”
Founded in 2000 in Atlanta, Floor & Décor was named a Fortune 100 “fast-growing company,” and currently consists of 160 warehouse-format stores and two design studios across 33 states.
These self-described superstores offer “warehouse prices with showroom quality,” sourced from international manufacturers and quarries, yet the brand strives to give customers a “local shopping experience” that appeals to a unique universe of DIY designers.
14. Rockler
Rockler Woodworking and Hardware has been around since 1954, when Norton Rockler started the Minnesota Woodworkers Supply Company as a small mail-order business.
Over 68 years, it morphed into what current family member-owners call a “woodworkers’ go-to resource for everything they need to complete their projects.”
Operating stores in 23 states and hosting an online presence, Rocklers is stocking more “green products” to promote recycling and support sustainable forest growth through the Hardwood Forestry Fund.
Though an ideal resource for woodworking hobbyists, Rockler is no Home Depot, but its efforts to promote hardwood tree planting for future generations are admirable.
15. True Value
True Value is best compared to Ace Hardware in terms of merchandise selection and operation.
Established in 1948 by John Cotter who opened his first hardware store at age 12, Cotter not only implemented an aggressive acquisition plan over the years but he legally obtained the True Value trademark.
Unlike traditional franchises, investors need no start-up cash or franchise fee to operate a True Value retail business.
Owners even have the option of using the name True Value, so if you patronize these stores, you are supporting local owners rather than big box stores like Home Depot.
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FAQs
Who is Home Depot's biggest competitor? ›
The Home Depot's competitors
Walmart is a retail company that operates a chain of hypermarkets, discount department stores, and grocery stores. Amazon is a company operating a marketplace for consumers, sellers, and content creators. Costco Wholesale Corporation is a company operating membership warehouses.
- Lowe's.
- Amazon.
- True Value.
- Ace Hardware.
- Walmart.
- Menards.
- Target.
- Home Hardware.
Builders Square was a big-box home improvement retailer headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. A subsidiary of Kmart, its format was quite similar to The Home Depot, Menards, and Lowe's with floor space of about 100,000 square feet (9,300 m2), and inventories in excess of 35,000 different items.
Who's better Lowe's or Home Depot? ›While prices on specific products can vary between the two stores, overall, they are relatively comparable. Home Depot often has lower prices on building materials and tools, while Lowe's may have better deals on appliances and home décor items.
What is Home Depot's highest paying position? ›As the world's first and second-largest home improvement retailers, Home Depot and Lowe's share many similarities. They compete for a shared customer base across the U.S. and Canada. Both companies are committed to allowing customers to move seamlessly between online and offline channels.
What is a sister company to Home Depot? ›| Subsidiary | Country |
|---|---|
| Viplex Industries | United States |
| Williams Brothers Lumber Co | United States |
| Your Other Warehouse | United States |
| Compact Power Services Llc | United States |
The Home Depot exclusively carries several major brands, including: Chem-Dry (carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, tile and grout services) Behr paints. Homelite (outdoor and power tools)
Does Home Depot beat other prices? ›If you find a current lower price on an identical, in-stock item from any other retailer, we will match the price. Just bring the ad, printout or photo with you to the register for validation. (This may involve the associate contacting the competitor).
Who is Home Depot's biggest customers? ›Numerator found that Home Depot's typical shopper is a middle-aged white man, who is married without children at home. They tend to live in the suburbs, have a college education, and earn more than $80,000 per year. The store is also especially popular among Hispanic or Latino shoppers.
What store did Home Depot buy out? ›
16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Home Depot®, the world's largest home improvement retailer, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire HD Supply Holdings, Inc., a leading national distributor of maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) products in the multifamily and hospitality end markets.
Did Home Depot merge with another company? ›ATLANTA, Dec. 24, 2020 -- The Home Depot, the world's largest home improvement retailer, has completed the acquisition of HD Supply Holdings, Inc., for a total enterprise value (including net cash) of approximately $8 billion.
Is Lowe's owned by Walmart? ›Walmart does not own Lowes as of 2021. Lowes Inc. is a publicly-traded company without a majority shareholder, and Walmart owns no shares in the company. Walmart does, however, own several other discount chains and brands across the US and beyond.
Is Menards cheaper than Home Depot? ›Friends who shop Menards and Home Depot a lot more often than I do say that Menards' prices are usually lower than Home Depot's, but you can find higher quality goods at Home Depot. As a bargain shopper I like that Menards offers scores of sale prices each Sunday in its circular.
Does Lowes have a senior discount? ›Does Lowe's Offer a Senior Discount or Have a Senior Discount Day? Lowe's does not offer a senior discount as a corporate policy. Lowe's stores don't have a particular senior citizen membership card or another form of ID to show to get a discount. The stores rely on a variety of other sales, promotions, and discounts.
What is the lowest paying job at Home Depot? ›FAQs About The Home Depot Inc.
ranges from an average of $11.35 to $19.76 an hour. The Home Depot Inc. employees with the job title Field Service Technician make the most with an average hourly rate of $21.09, while employees with the title Paint Associate make the least with an average hourly rate of $12.26.
| OCCUPATION | 2021 MEDIAN PAY |
|---|---|
| Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers | $202,180 per year |
| Anesthesiologists | Equal to or greater than $208,000 per year |
| Cardiologists | Equal to or greater than $208,000 per year |
| Dermatologists | Equal to or greater than $208,000 per year |
| Rank | Job Title | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Software Engineer | $59.53 |
| 2 | Co-Manager | $28.09 |
| 3 | Inventory Management Specialist | $26.20 |
| 4 | Department Manager | $21.95 |
High Prices. Many consumers avoid buying Lowe's products because they are priced much higher than other brands. As a result, many consumers decide to cut down their commitments with this company and shop at competitor brands.
Who is buying out Lowe's? ›About Sycamore Partners
Sycamore Partners is a private equity firm based in New York. The firm specializes in retail, consumer, and distribution-related investments and partners with management teams to improve the operating profitability and strategic value of their business.
Who is the largest home improvement retailer in the world? ›
Today, The Home Depot is the world's largest home improvement retailer with approximately 500,000 orange-blooded associates and more than 2,300 stores in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
What are Home Depot employees called? ›Our associates, who live by them each day, are what set us apart as a truly special place to work and build a career.
Who owns the most shares of Home Depot? ›The company's largest shareholder is The Vanguard Group, Inc., with ownership of 8.9%. With 6.7% and 5.7% of the shares outstanding respectively, BlackRock, Inc. and Capital Research and Management Company are the second and third largest shareholders.
Is Hampton Bay owned by Home Depot? ›Hampton Bay®, a trusted The Home Depot® brand since 1986, offers beautiful, affordable home décor pieces that are easy to install and use.
Does Home Depot replace Husky tools? ›If your Husky hand tool ever fails, bring it back and we will replace it free. Bring any broken Husky tool to The Home Depot and we will replace it for you. On the occasion that you need assistance or have questions about your Husky tools, call Husky Customer Care at 1-888-HD-HUSKY (1-888-434-8759).
Is Glacier Bay a Home Depot brand? ›Whether you need a new vanity, bath safety bars or parts to repair a toilet, Glacier Bay products from The Home Depot have you covered. Glacier Bay products are backed by warranties.
Does Home Depot have a house brand? ›Most of Home Depot's products are private label brands. However, they also sell major brands.
Is Lowes or Home Depot cheaper? ›Home Depot tends to have a wider variety of exclusive products sold for slightly lower prices on average, while Lowe's brands seem to be more focused on stocking high-quality tools that first-time DIYers often require. Which stores are bigger, Home Depot or Lowe's?
Are Home Depot quotes negotiable? ›Become a price match pro.
By knowing the price match policy at Home Depot it gives you a very easy way to negotiate the price. If you find a competing store in your area which beats the Home Depot price, you are eligible to get the product for 10% lower than the competitor's price.
We strive to maintain low and competitive prices on everything we carry. We constantly compare Amazon's prices to our competitors' prices to make sure that our prices are as low or lower than all relevant competitors. As a result, we don't offer price matching.
What is the average income of a Home Depot customer? ›
Home Depot shoppers have a higher average income, at $60,800, compared with $54,000 for Lowe's customers. "I think that is more a function of geography than anything else," Kelley said, noting Home Depot, with 1,500 stores in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, is more dominant in the richest U.S. markets than Lowe's.
What is the average age of employees at Home Depot? ›What is the average age of employees at The Home Depot? The most common age range of The Home Depot employees is 20-30 years.
Who is the target customer of Home Depot? ›Customers who are professionals: Professional renovators, contractors, small business owners comprise most of the home depot clientele. They understand the special demands of professional customers and use their knowledge to make the purchasing experience easier.
Is Home Depot still growing? ›Home Depot's Earnings Per Share Are Growing
It certainly is nice to see that Home Depot has managed to grow EPS by 18% per year over three years. If growth like this continues on into the future, then shareholders will have plenty to smile about.
I could see HD trading at 20x earnings, representing a stock price of $448 per share by 2027. That represents around 13% annual return potential over the next 5 years inclusive of dividends. That is an attractive return proposition especially considering that the stock's 5-year average P/E ratio is 23x.
Who owns Home Depot? ›Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus may have found huge success with their company Home Depot, but their venture only started after they were fired from a different home improvement retailer in 1978. Before they were fired, the two men worked at Handy Dan Home Improvement, a regional company in Southern California.
Has Home Depot ever split? ›Home Depot stock (symbol: HD) underwent a total of 13 stock splits. The most recent stock split occured on December 31st, 1999.
Did Lowes buy out Home Depot? ›Throughout their decades long rivalry, Home Depot and Lowes have never attempted any type of merger and have remained two strictly separate companies.
Who bought out HD Supply? ›Following its acceptance of the tendered shares, The Home Depot completed the acquisition of HD Supply through a merger of Coronado Acquisition Sub Inc. with and into HD Supply.
Who bought out Walmart? ›As previously mentioned, the Walton family still holds the majority of shares of Walmart, and the remainder of shares are "widely distributed across the marketplace, with no single entity holding more than the approximately 5% held by Vanguard," according to the fact check.
What did Lowes used to be called? ›
Lowe's started as North Wilkesboro Hardware
L.S. Lowe founded the first store in 1921 as Lowe's North Wilkesboro Hardware. According to Our State, the old-timey hardware store was on C Street in downtown North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
Since Dollar General is a publicly-traded company, it is owned by the stockholders.
Is it cheaper to buy lumber from Lowes or a lumber yard? ›Better Prices
In many cases, your local lumber distributor is less expensive for one reason – specialization. Lumber yards are well-versed in the business of wood and how to purchase it at a good price. Prices always vary with different types of wood, but you can be sure your local lumber yard is competitive in price.
Menards's competitors and similar companies include The Home Depot, Lowe's, Ace Hardware and Best Tile. Menard operates a chain of home improvement stores.
Is Menards owned by Lowe's? ›Menards is family-owned.
Menards has been a family business since it first launched in Eau Clair, Wisconsin in 1959. While this origin story gives the chain a folksy regional appeal, it is a powerhouse that commands the same buying power as Lowes and Home Depot at a third of their size.
Code 50 at Lowe's means that more hands are required to assist in a given area. Code 50 is typically used when a large consignment has been received and handling the consignment at the loading bay requires assistance from non-occupied Lowe's employees.
What discounts can I get at 60? ›- Ride the Rail. It's really important for older people to keep a strong social network. ...
- Iceland Over-60s Discount. ...
- More Points at Boots. ...
- Movie Savings. ...
- Free TV. ...
- Cheaper Haircuts. ...
- Free Bus Pass. ...
- Free Prescriptions.
Senior discounts typically consist of benefits or reduced prices exclusively for those above a certain age (often 55 and up). They're offered by retailers ranging from grocery store chains to luxury hotels and can often result in significant savings for senior citizens.
Who is bigger Home Depot or Lowes? ›The average size of a Home Depot location is around 104,000 square feet of indoor retail space and 24,000 square feet of garden center space. Lowe's locations are typically a bit larger at an average of about 112,000 square feet of indoor retail space and 32,000 square feet of garden center space.
Who has more market share Home Depot or Lowes? ›According to analysis by Market Watch, The Home Depot possesses roughly 17 percent of the market share for home improvement retail. Lowe's comes in second with about 12 percent market share. In 2021, Home Depot's sales exceeded $130 billion, and Lowe's sales totaled about $89.6 billion.
Is Home Depot the largest retailer in the world? ›
Today, The Home Depot is the world's largest home improvement retailer with approximately 500,000 orange-blooded associates and more than 2,300 stores in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
How much does a Home Depot store make a day? ›How Much Does The Home Depot Make A Day? The Home Depot makes $431.2M in a day.
Who owns the majority of Home Depot? ›Institutional investors own over 50% of the company, so together than can probably strongly influence board decisions. We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in Home Depot.
What does Lowes sell the most? ›Lowe's: global sales 2017-2021, by product category
In 2021, the seasonal and outdoor living product category of Lowe's generated over 9.5 billion U.S. dollars worth of sales. Meanwhile, Lowe's appliances category reached over 13.4 billion U.S. dollars.
Home Depot's strong financial performance is a result of its dominant market position in the United States, which gives it a significant competitive advantage over smaller retailers and enables it to generate robust revenues and profits. The company's total revenue increases continuously every year.
How much does the average person spend at Home Depot? ›Lowe's and Home Depot's customer spending
In 2022, customers spent an average of 103 U.S. dollars at Lowe's, while Home Depot customers spent about 90 U.S. dollars per transaction.
ATLANTA, Dec. 24, 2020 -- The Home Depot, the world's largest home improvement retailer, has completed the acquisition of HD Supply Holdings, Inc., for a total enterprise value (including net cash) of approximately $8 billion.
Who is the biggest retailer on earth? ›Perhaps unsurprisingly, the largest players are Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), CVS Health Corporation (NYSE:CVS), and Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT). We conducted thorough research to pick the biggest retail companies in the world and then ranked them by their latest twelve month revenue.