Home Depot confirms Yardbirds deal(Family run supply house swallowed)

Contra Costa Times ^ | 12/1/05 | Blanca Torres

[RGSpincich]

Home Depot confirmed Wednesday that it bought Petaluma-based Yardbirds, a chain of 10 home improvement stores in the East and North Bay areas.

Atlanta-based Home Depot said the stores will continue operating under the Yardbirds name until they are converted into Home Depot stores. Specific dates or financial details were not disclosed in the company's statement.

Home Depot, a national chain of more than 1,900 stores, said it will retain Yardbirds employees. Workers were informed of the changes during two-hour-long meetings held at each store Wednesday evening.

Yardbirds was founded in 1975 by John Headley and generated about $185 million in annual sales. Headley said in a statement that he looks forward to working with Home Depot to integrate the two chains.

[RGSpincich]

This is pretty big news in Northern California, at least in my circles. I talked to a number of the employees at the San Pablo Yardbirds store and they are optimistic. Better benefits, more vacation time, higher wages. It's hard for me to be dissapointed if the employees are treated right but I am. Yardbirds will remain open but under HD control. In the very near future I expect service will decline and prices will be up. Remodeling Contractors in Northern California will be in mourning as Home Depot and Lowes squeeze out the remaining competition.

[martin_fierro]

Wonder how long before OSH makes a deal with Lowe's.

[frankjr]

[CheyennePress]

Yardbirds... I like that name. I wouldn't mind doing my home improvement shopping at a Yardbirds...

[Paleo Conservative]

[Mike Bates]

Keith Relf has been unavailable for comment for almost 30 years now.

[Mr. Jazzy]

"For Your Love"

[frankjr]

LOL. And not expected to be available to comment anytime soon....and then some.

[trustandobey]

They should keep the name Yardbirds, it doesn't bring the negative thoughts Home Depot does. Home Depot has despicable customer service, if you don't already know!

[philo]

Keith used to work in the Electrical Dept

[LRS]

Workers were informed of the changes during two-hour-long meetings held at each store Wednesday evening.

"Over, under, sideways, down..."

[RGSpincich]

Yardbirds... I like that name. I wouldn't mind doing my home improvement shopping at a Yardbirds...

[newfreep]

One of the GREAT bands of the 60's and truly underappreciated. Lead guitarists incl Clapton, Page & Beck and always great songs.

[Michael.SF.]

I doubt it if there is such optimism across the strait. The Vallejo Yardbirds is a dump and is only about 1.5 miles from the HD.

I would suspect that the Yardbirds will close down.

[Michael.SF.]

Bit of trivia:

When Led Zepellin was formed, one name strongly considered for the band, but later rejected was "The New Yardbirds"

[Mr. Jeeves]

The San Rafael store, at least, is way too small to convert to a Home Depot - and San Rafael forced Home Depot to build their current store way out by the bay so it wouldn't put the smaller downtown hardware stores out of business. That one will likely be closed, and maybe the employees will be transferred over to the existing San Rafael Home Depot,

[RGSpincich]

The Vallejo Yardbirds is a dump and is only about 1.5 miles from the HD.

Yep. That's one store they lease and you're right everybody thinks it will close. They own Martinez, San Pablo, Santa Rosa, Petaluma and maybe a couple more. Hopefully those will stay open longer.

[dennisw]

Yardbirds are so unappreciated today. Hard to understand. Their last USA tour flopped a few years ago. Jim McCarty and Chris Dreja and three other guys

[dljordan]

" Home Depot has despicable customer service, if you don't already know!"

I worked part time at the Home Depot in West Nashville a few years ago when I went back to school. We had three guys working seven aisles and an hour or two after we opened these jerks would disappear and leave me handling all seven. The management was terrible and some of the customers were certifiable so I was out of there after a couple of months.

[Right Wing Assault]

They way I've heard people talk about the way HD doesn't treat suppliers well (very late with the $$$), I'm surprised they can gather the loot to buy these guys out.

HD has gone downhill fast lately. All those darn self-checkouts and no employees. They used to have trade people to help you, but now it is hard to find anyone, and they seem to know less. But there are some still some good employees left around here. I hope Lowe's outlasts them. I wonder if Wal-Mart will start opening Home-Mart and kill them all off.