The Home Depot was created in 1978 by Bernie Marcus, Arthur Blank, Ken Langone, Pat Farrah and Ron Brill after Marcus and Blank left Handy Dan.
The founders opened the first two Home Depot stores in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1979. Their concept was a warehouse-style home-improvement store offering a very broad range of products, large quantities and knowledgeable assistance to do-it-yourself customers.
That format differed from smaller hardware shops because it emphasized scale, product variety and low prices. The company expanded rapidly across the United States and became one of the world’s largest home-improvement retailers.
The Home Depot is often confused with Lowe’s because both are major American chains serving DIY and professional customers. Lowe’s is a separate company with its own history. The Home Depot’s orange branding and Atlanta origins are among its most recognizable historical markers.