Independent C&H and 53-Year-Old Blossom True Value Closures Could Benefit Lowe’s
In 2025 Home Depot captured 28% of U.S. home improvement sales, Lowe’s held 17% and Amazon 11%, intensifying competition for smaller hardware retailers. Independent operators C&H Hardware closed in November 2025 and 53-year-old Blossom True Value will cease operations summer 2026 after a 50% revenue decline, boosting prospects for big-box chains.
1. Market Share Concentration
Home Depot accounted for 28% of U.S. home improvement sales in 2025, while Lowe’s held 17% and Amazon 11%, combining for 56% of the market and squeezing smaller independents and hardware cooperatives.
2. C&H Hardware Closure
After 65 years in Yakima, Wash., C&H Hardware shut its doors in November 2025, unable to match lower online prices and facing sustained post-pandemic sales declines despite earlier pandemic-era resilience.
3. Blossom True Value to Close
Mountain View’s 53-year-old Blossom True Value will end operations when its lease expires in summer 2026, following a 50% drop in revenues post-pandemic, rising tariffs on Chinese imports and rent pressures.
4. Implications for Lowe’s
The exit of long-standing independents removes local competition and may allow Lowe’s to capture displaced customers, further consolidating its 17% market share in a sector dominated by big-box and e-commerce players.