Menards is a chain of home improvement stores in the Midwestern United States.
The privately held company headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin has 262 stores in 13 states: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wyoming.
Every Menards store shares a common structure. Each store is primarily divided by departments: building materials, hardware, electrical, millwork, wall coverings, plumbing and house wares, floor coverings, cabinets and appliances, and groceries.
In a typical store there is a store manager, two assistant managers, a department manager, and various sales floor team members, which is dependent upon the guest volume typical at that individual store. Menards stores are divided into categories based on store size and product range. These categories range from P1 (Prototype size 1) to P5 (prototype size 5), Hardware Plus (smaller than a P1 with fewer building materials item selections) and non-prototype (usually stores that have moved into pre-existing locations or locations where large prototype stores will not fit, such as the 2-story stores).
Recently, the 240,000 sq ft (22,000 m2) and larger Menards stores began selling groceries. Company history
In 1959, John Menard, Jr. began building post-frame buildings to finance his college education. After graduating from college in 1962, Menard purchased land in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and built an office and shop. When post-frame building customers often inquired about the possibility of purchasing lumber and other products, Menard opened the first Menards Cashway Lumber.
In 1969, Menard began adding manufacturing plants at the Eau Claire site. These plants included facilities for making trusses, treated lumber, boards, pre-hung doors, steel and nails. On July 15, 1980 Menards headquarters in Eau Claire was seriously damaged by the Western Wisconsin Derecho.
Type: Private Company
Industry: Retail (Home Improvement)
Founded: 1962
Headquarters: Eau Claire, Wisconsin, U.S.
Key people:
John Menard, Jr. (President), Scott Collette (Chief Operating Officer), Dennis Dixon (Operations Manager)
Products:
Building materials, tools, hardware, garden supplies, electrical supplies, ceiling fans, light fixtures, cabinets, home appliances, doors, windows, paint, wood stain, wallpaper, plumbing supplies, carpet, vinyl, linoleum