Lowe's to close 34 Canadian stores

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

When they first opened, it was excellent. now they are as bad or worse than home depot. if you can actually find someone willing to help, they know nothing. not even which isle you should check.

The lack of staff wouldn't even be an issue (especially since they tend not to know half the time anyway) if they only had some sort of system that would allow you to search the store yourself. Make it like IKEA where they have those little stations, or through the app, where you can get the aisle number of your item.

It's my biggest beef with Lowes and HD. If you're not going to have staff, at least give us an easier way to find stuff, instead of allowing people to just wander aimlessly hoping to run into what they need.

[GoinAllTheWay]

I use the Macleod Tr location frequently. Went there all the time when it was a Rona and was not happy to hear it was being bought by Lowes. That being said, Rona was awful for staff. Few and far between. Didn't bother me all that much as I don't often need help from staff but could be painful if you didn't know what isle something was located in.

It's like night and day now. I keep going to it as it's the location closest to me and there is tons of staff now. Much better. But that's likely due to it being more centrally located.

I had heard horror stories about how bad Lowes and was hesitant to check it out but I've been happily surprised as to how much it's improved.

Home Depot is awful. I can't stand shopping there. I only go there if they have something not available elsewhere.

[jeffporfirio]

[lazypucker]

Does Lowes own Rona as well? They should close down some smaller Rona's as well, for example the one on 16th Ave & Sarcee close to the COP, I hardly see any customer cars parked there. Also the one at Signal Hill, which is just a couple of blocks away from a Lowes. Don't know why they have 2 stores at such close proximity.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by lazypucker

Does Lowes own Rona as well? They should close down some smaller Rona's as well, for example the one on 16th Ave & Sarcee close to the COP, I hardly see any customer cars parked there. Also the one at Signal Hill, which is just a couple of blocks away from a Lowes. Don't know why they have 2 stores at such close proximity.

Yes, Lowes bought Rona (you may have noticed how the "Proudly Canadian" stuff was taken down afterwards).

That 16th Avenue location was the head Totem location and has quite a large yard for distribution. I don't think it will go away anytime soon.

[calgarygringo]

Lowes does own Rona but there also some privately owned franchisee type Rona stores out there as well and most of these are of the smaller size.

Originally Posted by lazypucker

Does Lowes own Rona as well? They should close down some smaller Rona's as well, for example the one on 16th Ave & Sarcee close to the COP, I hardly see any customer cars parked there. Also the one at Signal Hill, which is just a couple of blocks away from a Lowes. Don't know why they have 2 stores at such close proximity.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by calgarygringo

Lowes does own Rona but there also some privately owned franchisee type Rona stores out there as well and most of these are of the smaller size.

Yes, those would be stores on the Rona banner in the buying group. There are a few of these large buying groups in Canada. In the case of the Rona ones you typically see them in small communities, not in major centres:

-TimberMart
-Castle
-Rona
-Home Hardware
-Sexton
-Group BMR

When Lowes purchased Rona I was wondering how that may affect the buying group stores. I still wonder if at some point they try to sell it off to one of the other groups?

[Torture]

Thanks Notley!

[DuffMan]

Thanks Trudeau

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by DuffMan

Thanks Trudeau

Or thank Amazon, except for things like lumber,drywall etc, everything else can be bought online and delivered for free.

[MRCboicgy]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

That 16th Avenue location was the head Totem location and has quite a large yard for distribution. I don't think it will go away anytime soon.

And the staff there was always crazy helpful. I wonder if the demise of Sunnyside affected them? Hitting up both places on one trip was always a good use of time

[bizaro86]

I think buying Rona was a fatal mistake. I went to the Lowes by Cross Iron somewhat frequently, and found it way better than the Rona in Crowfoot, which was much closer to me. Specifically the service was way better. When they bought Rona it's like they took their attitude and service philosophy along with their real estate...

[Northendzone]

have you tried the HD app - i am sure it gives you the aisle number and a bay where the item is.

If not, call me and tell me waht you are looking for and i will tell you where it is at HD MacKenzie Towne or possibly Chinook

Originally Posted by Table 5

....It's my biggest beef with Lowes and HD. If you're not going to have staff, at least give us an easier way to find stuff, instead of allowing people to just wander aimlessly hoping to run into what they need.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

i live close to the mackenzie towne stores, and although lowes is closer and easier to get in/out of, i generally go to home depot becasue i have a HD credit card and i feel i know the layout of the store better and can find what i need without help.

sometimes, lowes has different products though, so it is noce to have the choice.

i'd imagine if lowes had opened first, i'd be going there by default

You're on 'The List.'

[Engine09]

I'm just glad I can still bring my dog to the MacLeod location.

[HockeyIlliterate]

Originally Posted by Table 5

The lack of staff wouldn't even be an issue (especially since they tend not to know half the time anyway) if they only had some sort of system that would allow you to search the store yourself. Make it like IKEA where they have those little stations, or through the app, where you can get the aisle number of your item.

It's my biggest beef with Lowes and HD. If you're not going to have staff, at least give us an easier way to find stuff, instead of allowing people to just wander aimlessly hoping to run into what they need.

I'm pretty sure that both Lowes and Home Depot provide the aisle and bin number of an item on their app/website. At least for the US stores, anyway.

[Lubicon]

Interesting perspectives on the level of service at Lowes vs. Rona. My experience has been quite the opposite. When the Crowfoot store was a Rona it was basically the very definition of a do it yourself store - there was practically zero assistance or offers from the staff any time I went. When they changed over to Lowe's it was a completely different experience and last time I was there a few weeks ago I was almost beating them off with a stick there were so many different staff who asked if I needed assistance.

[agulati]

Originally Posted by Calgary14

Curious to see what ends up at the Shawnessy location. It was Zellers (I think?) then Target and now Lowes

I don’t believe it is that location being closed, unless I’m wrong

[CarlLester]

Originally Posted by agulati

I don’t believe it is that location being closed, unless I’m wrong

That location is closing February 19, 2020 per news article.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Table 5

The lack of staff wouldn't even be an issue (especially since they tend not to know half the time anyway) if they only had some sort of system that would allow you to search the store yourself. Make it like IKEA where they have those little stations, or through the app, where you can get the aisle number of your item.

It's my biggest beef with Lowes and HD. If you're not going to have staff, at least give us an easier way to find stuff, instead of allowing people to just wander aimlessly hoping to run into what they need.

Agree. Even Canadian Tire's website now gives you store specific aisle numbers for their products. That's come in handy for me many times.