Hardware Stores

Toronto – Lowe’s Canada plans to open 25 new stores in Canada during the next three years. This includes three new stores set to open later this year in Lethbridge, Saskatoon and Sault Ste. Marie

Mooresville, N.C. - Lowe's Companies Inc. plans to hire approximately 30,000 seasonal employees at its stores in the U.S. during spring, which is typically the busiest time of year in the home improvement industry. Seasonal jobs are focused on customer service and include cashiers, lawn and garden employees, loaders, and stockers.

It may not feel like it in many parts of the country, but spring, the busiest time of the year for home improvement stores, is just around the corner. And Lowe’s is wasting no time in getting ready.

The retailer said it plans to hire 30,000 employees at its stores in the United States during spring. 

Home Depot is sure to follow the move by Lowe's with its own hiring spree in the next few weeks, especially considering it hired as many as 80,000 seasonal employees in winter/spring 2014.

Home Depot’s CEO Craig Menear will take over as chairman of the board when Frank Blake retires Feb. 2.

Menear, formerly head of Home Depot’s retail operations, was named Blake’s successor as CEO in August, and the company said at the time that Blake would remain as chairman. Menear took over the CEO role at the beginning of November.

San Luis Obispo, Calif. -- Canada’s Home Hardware chain has jumped on the in-store pickup bandwagon, tapping Shopatron to complete an implementation of Canada’s largest dealer-owned hardware, lumber, building materials and furniture cooperative’s in-store pickup platform.

Mooresville, N.C. – Lowe’s is taking its Iris smart home program and trying to make it even smarter, with help from connected home platform provider Icontrol Networks. Starting in early 2015, many Lowe's Iris smart home devices will be certified through Icontrol's OpenHome Developer Program, allowing these devices to work seamlessly with Icontrol-powered solutions.

Ace Hardware is set to launch a “Free Store Pickup” program this April and has chosen PGA tour player Hunter Mahan to serve as pitchman for the omnichannel initiative.

The deal with six-time winner Mahan marks the first time the nation’s largest hardware cooperative has teamed with a professional athlete on an endorsement deal.

Chicago -- True Value Company announced the appointment of Lars Hybel to VP international, effective Jan. 12.

Hybel has a wealth of experience leading multinational and global teams, having worked for more than 15 years at Electrolux. Most recently, he was VP and general manager, global business unit, Electrolux Central Vacuum Systems, leading the transition of three regional operations to a global matrix organization, and successfully coordinating the first mass-channel entry in Canada, driving significant market share gain.