Home Depot on the way?
I know we've heard this before, but I've once again been hearing rumors that a Home Depot store in Grand Forks is all but a done deal. Ever since Home Depot started building stores in the area, it seems that it has really only been a matter of time until they build one in Grand Forks.
I personally like Menards the best of the big three home improvement stores (Home Depot, Lowe's, and Menards), but I'm sure there are people out there who really want the option of being able to shop at a Grand Forks Home Depot. If Home Depot does finally get around to opening a Grand Forks store, I have to think there is going to be quite a bit of competition locally within that retail sector.
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Isn't the Home Depot in Bismarck already closed or in the process of closing? I know that isn't a predictor of how well the business will fare in GF, but the two cities are comparably sized.
I know nothing about the Bismarck store closing. As far as I know, that store hasn't been open very long and I highly doubt a corporation would shut down a location after such a short period of time. I do know that there were at one time (untrue) rumors that the north Wal-Mart in Bismarck was going to close so perhaps you had heard that?
There already is a fair amount of competition, and I question whether there's enough business in the area to support three major chains, selling essentially the same thing.
Lumber and tools aren't quite the same thing as clothes -- one store can certainly handle most, if not all, of the variety of hammers, say, and two stores will keep prices low. Three of them, I don't know... I suspect that the most likely scenerio would be weaking all three of them, and quite possibly running one of them out of business.
I haven't paid a lot of attention to the cars in the parking lot of Lowes or Menards, but I suspect that there aren't as many Canadian shoppers in those stores as other places in town.
Is there a need for yet another home improvement store? There really needs to be something to do around here besides walk around the local Walmart or Menards...GF is boring!
I've heard that the North Wal-mart in Bismarck was on the hinge of closing due to lack of employees, not necessarily sales. I also heard that Home Depot in Bismarck had a young manager that was let loose and pissed off all of the contractors in town by not delivering when promised, so the contracting business was hurt immensely. Home Depot tends to go after more contractors than Lowes and Menards, it's in their business plan.
Home Depot tends to go after more contractors than Lowes and Menards, it's in their business plan. That's part of the reason that Lowe's is so much preferable to Home Depot, as they seem apathetic to the average consumer.
Personally, I'd love to get an EXPO store here (division of Home Depot). Not that I think one would make it here necessarily, just that I'd love one. I have no idea if the area could make it a viable option.
We really do need a Home Depot store here in River City ! How else will we ever get Tony Stewart in # 2 NASCAR Car here ? It is the Orange Home Depot Car afterall. Come on all you NASCAR fans, Tony won NASCAR Race today at Chicago and climbed the fence. Number 303 in race starts for Tony (or Smoke as he is called). First win of the season for the # 20 Team, 29 min. pep talk by the coach helped ! Rusty Wallace and Jimmy Johnson have come to town for NASCAR fans, so lets support Home Depot. greenglass4.
i know for a fact home depot is not coming here.
where do you get your sources grand forks guy? this is obviously not true.
"where do you get your sources grand forks guy? this is obviously not true."
Read my post a little more carefully...I never said it was true. I stated that I have once again been hearing more and more rumors about a new store. When I clearly state that I've been hearing rumors, it should be obvious that I can in no way yet verify the rumors.
It might interest some readers to know that I emailed Home Depot asking questions about the possibility of a new Grand Forks store. I email companies frequently asking about the possibility of expansion to GF and I am often sent an automated message thanking me for my mail and letting me know that they will take my suggestion "into consideration." The response that the Home Depot sent me sounds a bit more like a possible GF store is something that they are aware of and something that might very well be on the way. Tell me how you read this...
It is great to hear from a customer who is anxious to shop at The Home
Depot. The grand opening of the new Grand Forks, ND Home Depot is not yet
available.
Please visit http://careers.homedepot.com/grandopenings for updates on
this store's grand opening date.
I find it intersting that Home Depot has their flyers in the Herald. I would't drive to Fargo for home improvement so I never read them. Maybe they were testing the market?
I personally like both Menards and Lowe's. Menards usually has the better prices but I like Lowe's lighting, window covering and area rug departments better and they seem pretty competitive in those areas. Menard's staff seemed to become much more customer friendly when Lowes came to town.
We were eating at I-HOP in Fargo over the weekend. Our waiter told us that an I-HOP was coming to GF in March or so. Is this true or false? Anybody?
Our waiter told us that an I-HOP was coming to GF in March or so.
Maybe they'll turn one of their two Applebees into an IHOP. I like the way the article refers to IHOP as "the biggest U.S. pancake-house chain", like that's some sort of important category to be on top of :-)
"Is this true or false?"
How many waiters of major chain restaurants have access to corporate headquarters?
How many waiters of major chain restaurants have access to corporate headquarters?
Well, zero, but it is possible (indeed, likely,) that employees of the nearest restaurant would be advised of possible management openings at a new store. That could easily filter out to everyone in the place.
IHOP would be great -- or a Denny's. We don't need Home Depot. Remember when Office Depot was here for three minutes and then closed?
"Well, zero, but it is possible (indeed, likely,) that employees of the nearest restaurant would be advised of possible management openings at a new store."
Eight years ago or so a bartender at Red Lobster told me an Olive Garden was coming to GF. "We're owned by the same corporation so I get in on this stuff," he said.
Olive Garden can stay gone as far as I'm concerned. I'll never go there. Hooters would be good.
Don't hold your breath for IHOP. They used to own land in Bismarck and were looking for a local franchisee, but they never found one and the land has been sold off. They have abandoned any plans to build a Bismarck location in the near future.
Hooters.
Well, with the abundance of boobs posting in this blog as of late, perhaps it'd be another place to gather.
Good grief. Whatever happened to the intelligence of North Dakotans?
I ate at IHOP in OKC and I thought the food wasn't that good. I don't know if we need another chain in town. I like Malts but that is about it...
As far as getting a Home Depot in town I can't see where there is another need in town for that store.
Tony Stewart-eww he is a rude obnoxious ass. Who drives like a putz.
Neither the North Wal-Mart or Home Depot are closing in Bismarck. Both stores are doing very well there.
Home Depot, IHOP and Olive Garden will be opening in Grand Forks just as soon as we all bend over, stick our heads between our legs and kiss are own arses...
Even if Home Depot opens, I'm still going to do my business at Simonson's.
Anonymous said...
Even if Home Depot opens, I'm still going to do my business at Simonson's.
Shop local, because they need the business.
The other thing that I really don't understand, is that "progress in GF" equals "chain stores coming to town".
There's such a terrible economic outlook for the city if you take that in mind.
I always wanted an Old Navy store to be located downtown, or even a big box retailer to be located downtown, because at least then the outside/corporately owned stores would be driving traffic to stores owned locally, and thus drive more money into our local economy (btw, local business owners tend to keep their money in GF).
Seems like ever time a big box store moves in, another two locals go out of business.
I'm not completely against big box, but they definitely have an unfair advantage over the locals, and essentially take our money and ship it off to their own hometowns.
I don't want my $1 to go to Bentonville, AR when we could recycle it here, in our own hometown, over and over and over.
Anonymous said...
Hooters.
Well, with the abundance of boobs posting in this blog as of late, perhaps it'd be another place to gather.
Good grief. Whatever happened to the intelligence of North Dakotans?
LOL.
If you wish for anything, wish for Trader Joe's. Anyone, please, hear my cries! We need a Trader Joe's in ND...
I couldn't agree more. In fact, there's a page on Trader Joe's website allowing you to recommend GF for a new location.
I get a kick out of the people who don't want their money going out of state. But give it to the local guy so he can build a big house and pay low wages and employee 10 people. When the chains employee 150 people pays descent wages and has benefits. I do my business at Wal-mart and Lowe's. More chain stores, please!
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