Lowe’s Closing 20 Stores

Lowe’s Cos. (LOW) is shutting 20 stores and greatly slowing future openings in an effort to improve its profitability. The closings affect about 1,950 employees, and the home-improvement retailer will book a related second-quarter charge of $345 million to $415 million, or 17 cents to 20 cents a share. The company now expects to open 10 to 15 stores a year in North America from 2012 forward, down from its prior assumption of about 30 stores a year. Lowe’s will open about 25 stores this year, as planned, having already committed to the sites. Lowe’s closed 10 stores on Sunday and said it would shut 10 more within a month/ Wall Street Journal . More here.

Question: Which box hardware store do you prefer in Coeur d’Alene — Lowe’s or Home Depot?