When consumers have an immediate hardware need, such as a fluorescent light tube for the kitchen, various fasteners, or adhesives for a repair, a quick trip to the local retailer can be the most convenient solution.
Most communities have an independent hardware store or an Ace Hardware or True Value Hardware chain store to meet customers’ needs.
In some cases, it’s more convenient to visit a Walmart for certain hardware goods. The retail giant has a pretty good selection of hardware items, like that fluorescent light.
If a consumer is seeking more options for hardware or home improvement, they often turn to Home Depot or Lowe’s to pick up an item. If they don’t need the item immediately, they can always purchase it online at Amazon and wait for the delivery.
Home Depot takes 28% of the market
The three hardware and home improvement giants dominate the industry with Home Depot capturing about 28% of the home improvement sales volume in 2025, Lowe’s generating 17% of the industry’s sales, and Amazon grabbing about 11% of sales, according to the Numerator Home Improvement Tracker, which was updated on Feb. 4.
True Value Hardware and Ace Hardware, which operate as cooperatives, and independent retailers have had difficulty competing for the remaining 44% of the market.
Longtime community hardware stores that have been open over 50 years are struggling to stay open.
Longstanding hardware stores close
Independent hardware store C&H Hardware of Yakima, Wash., which operated for 65 years, shut down permanently in November 2025, citing problems competing against lower online prices.
“This year has been tough because everybody’s buying online now,” C&H store owner Jay Fleck said before closing down. “You can get stuff online cheaper than you can come in and pay us.”
Also, 53-year-old Blossom True Value Hardware will close its doors for the final time in summer 2026 when its lease expires, the store’s owner announced.
The Mountain View, Calif.,-based hardware store will permanently close, after suffering a loss of about half of its business since the Covid-19 pandemic subsided, longtime store owner Paul Zeitman told Mountain View Voice.
Zeitman blamed the expansion of e-commerce, rising costs from tariffs, and unaffordable rent for its decision not to renew its lease in the summer.
“Every year is worse than before. People are buying less and less,” Zeitman said.
Workbench True Value Hardware will close a store and consolidate operations in another nearby location
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Workbench True Value closes location
And now, Pleasanton, Calif.-based Workbench True Value Hardware with multiple locations is closing its 55-year-old store on Santa Rita Road and consolidating its operations at its downtown location on Main Street, which it opened in 2013.
The iconic hardware store location, which opened in 1970, will shut its doors for the last time on Feb. 28, Pleasanton Weekly reported.
Workbench True Value Hardware’s owner, Fred Nichandros, said he always planned to close the Santa Rita store and expand operations a mile away at the Main Street location.
“Over the years, the business has been shifting to Main Street so at this time it makes sense to consolidate them,” Nichandros told Pleasanton Weekly.
More closings:
- Bankrupt restaurant chains permanently close popular locations
- Major retail chain closes 35 stores nationwide, no bankruptcy
- Another major retail chain closes warehouse operations
The Santa Rita store, however, developed a strong and reliable clientele, which has remained strong over the years, as people enjoyed shopping at the location.
The popularity of the store and its strong business performance prevented the owner from closing it over the last 13 years.
“We weren’t planning to keep that store open when we opened Main Street,” Nichandros said regarding the Santa Rita store.
Workbench True Value consolidates
A change in the hardware market, with more customers shopping at the downtown store, convinced Nichandros to consolidate the stores.
“Business has been moving over to Main Street over the years and it’s finally reached a point where…it’s time to put them together, which is what we’ve been trying to do from the get-go,” Nichandro said.
“We’re going to complete our original plan of working out of that store,” he said.
The Main Street store is twice as big as the Santa Rita store and will offer more services, tools, and overall hardware needs than the older store, Nichandros said.
“It’s not like they’re losing a hardware store,” Nichandros said. “Our goal was to make (the Main Street store) bigger to be able to have more room for merchandise space.”
Top home improvement retailers
- Home Depot, 28% of sales in 2025
- Lowe’s, 17% of sales in 2025
- Amazon, 11% of sales in 2025
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