Now that Home Depot has hammered the “competition’ in the New England/Mid Atlantic region, and stores like Somerville Lumber, Grossman’s, HomeQuarters, Channel, and Rickel’s are all history, Lowe’s stores has announced a major push into the Northeast that will bring a planned 75 big boxes from Philadelphia to Maine over the next five years, according to a report in the National Home Center News. In Boston, Lowe’s plans to open 25 stores. Lowe’s is just a “blue Home Depot”. The company opened its first store in the Boston market on Feb. 24th in the north shore town of Danvers. The New England push was described by Lowe’s as the most aggressive store push in the company’s 55 year history. Last year Lowe’s opened 100 U.S. stores, and hopes to add as many as 120 new stores in 2001. The typical Lowe’s store in New England will be 150,000 s.f., just slightly larger than the Home Depot prototype. The company needs around 17 acres of land to build these stores. And what does all this new sprawl development bring to New England consumers? “We’re thrilled to be able to bring our unique home improvement store format,” one Lowe’s official told the NHCN, “with wider, uncluttered aisles and brighter lights.” That’s all folks! Brighter Lights!
The NHCN says that competition in New England was flattened “thanks to Home Depot pushing through the area like a bulldozer.” But will New England cities and towns allow themselves to be hammered a second time by Lowe’s? Any residents who wish to report a Lowe’s proposal in their area, contact [email protected]. Lowe’s stores are already under construction in North Attleboro and Worcester, and its first Massachusetts store opened a stone’s throw from Home Depot in Springfield, MA about a year ago.
