For Jim Lowe, it was a continuation of his family’s legacy, while for Buchan, with his eyes set on growing the stores into a national chain, it gave him a solid foundation. Interestingly, both individuals continued their company with the original Lowe’s name that had they associated their initial success with. Lowe became the sole owner of the newly set up businesses while the hardware stores went to Buchan. However, instead of simultaneously focusing on multiple businesses, in 1952, Lowe and Buchan decided to part ways and take over a separate side of operations. With the profits they generated, they also branched out, investing in an automobile dealership and a cattle farm. Together, the two were doing reasonably well and by 1949, they had already opened their second Lowe store in Sparta, N.C. Expecting there to be a post-war construction boom, the store’s renewed focus on hardware was a smart move. In 1946, Jim returned from the war and joined Buchan in taking the business forward. He was successful in selling out much of the existing stock and took the opportunity to reorganize the store and focus it towards becoming a whole-seller of hardware and buildings supplies. He not only joined the business to help out, but he also bought 50% of its shares to become Lowe’s partner.įrom there on, he took it upon himself to transform the store. Then, Buchan who was injured during the war, returned home after being discharged from service. Meanwhile, the women of the household, Ruth, and her mother kept the store running.įor three years, things continued like this. He was accompanied by his brother-in-law, Carl Buchan, Ruth’s husband. Jim Lowe had only just taken charge of operations at the store when he was called up by the military to serve on the frontlines in WWII. Then, the store was passed on to his daughter, Ruth, who did not retain ownership for long and sold it to her brother, Jim. The name Lowe – his name – was going to be known around the country.įrom 1921 to 1940, he worked hard at the store, catering to locals’ hardware needs until his passing. Lowe know that his store wasn’t just going to be a local, ordinary hardware store in North Wilkesboro. He gave the store a simple name: “ Lowe’s North Wilkesboro Hardware”. In 1921, in his small town of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, L.S Lowe opened a hardware store, which along with building materials, sold dry goods, sewing notions, horse tack, produce, and groceries. So, the story of Lowe’s begins with Lucius Smith Lowe. In fact, its journey goes back over a hundred years. In no way is Lowe’s a new name to the American customer. Source: Mike Mozart from Funny YouTube, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons The Beginnings of Lowe’s
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