Home Depot 1999 Annual Report Download - page 17

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13
Villager’s Hardware test stores feature
six Solutions Centers to aid customers in
product selection or project completion.
In the center of the store is a Project
Solutions Center where associates
answer questions, and customers peruse
a library of over 250 home repair and
décor books or view how-to videos
related to home enhancement projects.
At the end of fiscal 1999, 74 Home Depot stores were open 24 hours a day to serve customers.
One hundred seventy-one stores were testing new staffing formulas designed to enhance sales and
service, and 11 stores were part of a décor merchandising experiment. Through these and many
other initiatives, we look for new ways to serve more home improvement customers and increase
sales in our stores.
We also look for new ways to offer different shopping experiences. EXPO Design Center
completed its first year of aggressive growth in fiscal 1999, opening seven new stores and ending
the year with a total of 15 stores. EXPO’s showroom environment, décor orientation and project
focus are a winning formula for homeowners undertaking remodeling or decorating projects. EXPO
expects to open 11 more stores during fiscal 2000 and plans to have approximately 200 stores in
operation during the next five to six years.
During fiscal 1999, we began to test a new store format for serving the hardware convenience
segment of the home improvement market. Villager’s Hardware is designed to attract customers
undertaking smaller repair or room enhancement projects, or customers who simply want the
convenience of a smaller local store. Customer response to the first two test stores in East Brunswick
and Garwood, New Jersey has been positive, and the initial results at both stores are encouraging.
We plan to open two more Villager’s Hardware stores in New Jersey during fiscal 2000, as we
continue to refine this store format and its product offerings.
The Home Depot’s focus has always been
on serving home improvement needs.
Every day we look for opportunities to
do it in a bigger way.