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The Home Depot was founded in 1978 by Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank. Along with investment banker Ken Langone and merchandising guru Pat Farrah, the founders’ vision of one-stop shopping for the do-it-yourselfer came to fruition when they opened the first two Home Depot stores on June 22, 1979, in Atlanta, Georgia. The first stores, at around 60,000 square feet each, were cavernous warehouses that dwarfed the competition and stocked 25,000 SKUs, much more than the average hardware store at that time. Empty boxes piled high on the shelves gave the illusion of even more product.

From the start, associates were able to offer the best customer service in the industry, guiding customers through projects such as laying tile, changing a fill valve or handling a power tool. Not only did store associates undergo rigorous product knowledge training, but they also began offering clinics so customers could learn how to do it themselves. The Home Depot revolutionized the home improvement industry by bringing the know-how and the tools to the consumer and by saving them money.

According to Bernie and Arthur, the customer has a bill of rights at The Home Depot, and this entitles the customer to the right assortment, quantities and price, along with trained associates on the sales floor who want to take care of customers. Their philosophy of customer service – “whatever it takes” – means cultivating a relationship with customers rather than merely completing a transaction. As Bernie says in Built from Scratch, “At the end of the day, we’re in the people business.”

The Home Depot is the fastest growing retailer in U.S. history. In 1981, the company went public on NASDAQ and moved to the New York Stock Exchange in 1984. The 1980s and 1990s spawned tremendous growth for the company, with 1989 marking the celebration of its 100th store opening. The company arrived in Canada with the acquisition of Aikenhead’s home improvement centers in 1994, and it began flying its flag proudly in Mexico in 2001 through the acquisition of Total HOME. In 2006, the company extended its reach to China by acquiring The Home Way, a 12 store chain.

From the beginning, The Home Depot developed strategic product alliances directly with industry-leading manufacturers to deliver the most exclusive assortments to customers. Through a combination of national brands and proprietary products like Ryobi® tools, RIDGID® tools, BEHR® paint, LG® appliances, and Toro® and Cub Cadet® lawn equipment, the company sets the standard for innovative merchandise for the do-it-yourselfer and the professional contractor

We are the world’s largest home improvement retailer.

We are the fourth largest retailer in the U.S.

We are the fifth largest retailer in the world.

The Home Depot is the youngest retailer in the Fortune 50.

The Home Depot was ranked No. 25 in 2009 on the Fortune 500 U.S. list.

The Home Depot was ranked No. 127 in 2009 on the Forbes Global 2000 Largest Companies list.

The Home Depot won the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award for our leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions through marketing and promotion of energy-efficient solutions.

Since 1997, more than 17.5 million projects have been completed at Kids Workshops.

More than 1 million children built their first toolbox at a Kids Workshop

The Home Depot is the fastest growing retailer to reach $30 billion, $40 billion, $50 billion, $60 billion and $70 billion in sales. At the end of fiscal year 2006, revenue was $90.8 billion.

The Home Depot, The Home Depot Foundation, and our suppliers committed a total of more than $11 million to support recovery and rebuilding efforts throughout the regions impacted by the Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma.

The Home Depot ranked in the top 50 on Forbes 2009 America’s Most Reputable Companies list.

URL: http://www.homedepot.com
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