History of Lowe’s
Lowe’s was founded in 1921 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, by Lucius Smith Lowe as a small hardware store. After his passing in 1940, the business was taken over by his son-in-law, Carl Buchan, who envisioned expanding it into a home improvement retailer. Under Buchan’s leadership, Lowe’s focused on building materials and tools, catering primarily to contractors and professionals. By the 1960s, the company had grown into a regional chain and went public in 1961.
Throughout the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Lowe’s expanded rapidly across the United States and later into Canada and Mexico. Competing with Home Depot, it became one of the largest home improvement retailers in the world. The company embraced e-commerce, enhancing its digital presence to meet changing consumer needs. Despite challenges, Lowe’s remains a dominant force in the industry, with thousands of stores and a strong commitment to customer service and innovation.