Home Depot Closes EXPO Stores

ATLANTA-Home Depot has decided to end its EXPO business in order to focus its resources on its core “orange box” stores. The locally based company plans to close 48 locations of EXPO Design Center stores, YardBIRDS stores, Design Center stores and HD Bath across the country. Approximately 5,000 employees will be impacted by the closings, in addition to another 2,000 employees that will be affected during a restructuring of the home improvement giant’s support staff. A total of 2% of Home Depot’s workforce will be cut.

“The EXPO business has not performed well financially and is not expected to anytime soon,” the company published in a release. “Even during the recent housing boom, it was not a strong business. It has weakened significantly as the demand for big ticket design and decor projects has declined in the current economic environment.”