| Lowe's Companies |
State Highway 268 East,
North Wilkesboro,
NC
28659 |
|
www.lowes.com
|
(336) 658-4000
Fax: (336) 658-4766
|
 |
|
Battling to win back No. 1
Lowe's Companies is the second-largest chain of hardware stores in the U.S. Started in 1921 as a single store in North Wilkesboro, NC, Lowe's had 15 stores by 1960. The company did not truly hit its stride, however, until Robert Strickland became the CEO in 1978. In response to a decline in housing manufacturing and competition from Home Depot, Strickland reorganized the stores in the chain and made them more appealing to women, who now constitute half of the customer base. A convert to the "warehouse" store model, Lowe's has expanded the floor space of many of its old stores in addition to building new ones. Lowe's hopes to have 600 stores nationwide by the year-end 2000 as part of its bid to regain the No. 1 spot in the industry from Home Depot.
To speed this goal, Lowe's Hardware acquired Eagle Hardware & Garden, Inc., a Washington-based company, in 1999. With the acquisition, Lowe's now operates 589 stores in 39 states including the Pacific Northwest territory, a region it had barely explored before. Lowe's plans to build 100 more stores in the Northwest in the next two to three years as well. Lowe's is also experimenting in other areas of the U.S. In fall 1999, Lowe's opened its first South Florida store. The company believes that the large population of retirees and the warm weather will be conducive to its build-it-yourself environment. Lowe's also plans to build a home improvement warehouse store in Bedford Heights, Ohio, the first of its kind to be built in the Cleveland area. The company has also created an Internet business group, to expand its Internet retailing efforts.
|
|
Applicants interested in corporate positions with Lowe?s should submit a resume via regular mail to the North Wilkesboro, NC "general office" or by e-mail to lowes@alexus.com. Applicants should be prepared to have their resumes scanned. The company web page, www.lowes.com, provides guidelines for submitting a scannable resume, such as using 8.5"x11" white paper, standard font and size, and submitting an original copy. Those interested in working for a particular store should apply there.
|
|
Ham, turkeys, and stock plans
While the pay scale at Lowe's may not earn high marks from employees, the employee stock plan - which gives each employee a stock bonus of approximately 14 percent of their annual salary - does. Long-time employees report that promotions are "merit-based" and "arrive frequently" for those who "are willing to devote themselves to the company." A "social," "customer-oriented" environment prevails at each store, where employees also enjoy a "hefty" discount on store merchandise. Reports one insider: "You get a ham for Christmas and a turkey for Thanksgiving, and 10 percent off anything you buy." Another contact enjoys the "casual dress" for retail positions, and notes the "large minority concentration" of co-workers.
Human Resources
Building commodities and millwork;Major appliances & kitchens;Structural lumber;
Plumbing;Nursery & Gardening;Electrical;Paint & Sundries;Outdoor hardlines;
Home decor;Power Tools
More Company Profiles
For more career information, go to Vault.com
©2000, Vault.com Inc
|
|
