ald Brill another Handy Dan employee; and Pat Farrah, former owner of Homeco, the world’s first home improvement warehouse, they mapped out plan for a bigger and better store catering to the needs of do-it-yourselfers.These Warehouse type stores, each averaging about 130,000 square feet, stock 40,000 to 50,000 home improvement products and are aimed mainly at the do-it-yourself trade. The stores however also attract many professional-building contractors. Products include lumber, floor and wall covering, hardware, paint, plumbing supplies, and tools. Home Depot also offers facilities maintenance and repair products through its direct mail subsidiary Maintenance Warehouse, and custom window treatments by direct mail through National Blind $ Wallpaper Factory. Much of the company’s success has been attributed to its superior customer service, along with low process and a broad selection of products.In 1979, they opened three Home Depot outlets in the Atlanta area, adding fourth outlet in 1980. The next year Home Depot when public, opened four stores in South Florida, and posted sales of $50 million. After opening two more stores and making sales of $100 million in 1982, the company was named Retailer of the Year in the home building supply industry. The chain entered Louisiana and Arizona next. By 1983 sales were more than $250 million. The company also began installing computerized checkout systems, and by 1984 inventory reordering was computerized. The same year the company acquired nine Bowater Home Centers in Texas, Louisiana, and Alabama. Home Depot then entered Southern California, Handy Dan’s home turf, opening six stores. The Bowater acquisition and rapid internal expansion caused Home Depot to falter and experienced the only dip in earnings in its history. Back on track in 1986, sales exceeded $1 billion in the firm’s 60 stores. Entering the competitive northeastern market, the company bought...
