By Mary O’KEEFE

Customers of the Orchard Supply Hardware [OSH] on Foothill Boulevard were shocked and sad to learn this week that the local home maintenance store will be closing.

“The store closing sales will begin on [Thursday, today] and run for approximately 10 weeks,” said Jackie Pardini Hartzell, director of Public Relations for the Lowe’s Company.

In 2013, [OSH] filed for Chapter 11. At that time several stores were closed around Southern California; however, the La Crescenta store was not on the closure list then. Lowe’s Companies bought the OSH stores that remained open but announced this week it would be closing all the OSH stores by the end of the year.

“We are working hard to make this transition as smooth as possible for our associates and our customers,” Pardini Hartzell said. She added the company will be retaining the employees through the store closure process and “are encouraging them to apply for open roles at Lowe’s stores, where they will receive priority status.”

There are position openings currently available on the Lowe’s website, which is updated as jobs are filled and others become available.

OSH has filled a need in the Crescenta Valley area, with DIY Home Center in Tujunga the only other nearby lawn and garden/home improvement store.

“We do not currently have plans to open a Lowe’s store in La Crescenta,” Pardini Hartzell said.

The closest Lowe’s stores are about nine miles away in Pasadena, and 14 miles away in Burbank or Pacoima.

When the Chapter 11 was announced in 2013 and followed by the purchases by Lowe’s, the future looked solid for the now 87-year-old OSH.

“We are confident that Orchard is on the right path for long-term success through the actions we are taking with our business and certain stores,” stated Mark Baker, then-Orchard president and CEO.

The Lowe’s purchase was announced shortly after the Chapter 11 was approved. Under the terms of the agreement, OSH was to operate as a separate, stand-alone business at the completion of the sale process. The stores, according to a company statement, were to retain its brand, management team and associates. OSH did remain in La Crescenta for the next five years but now all 99 OSH stores will close by the end of the year.

“This was a business decision to enable the organization to focus on growing the core home improvement business and deploy our capital to higher return projects to improve our return on invested capital,” she added.

The La Crescenta OSH has been supportive of local schools and non-profit organizations. The support will remain, according to Pardini Hartzell.

“Lowe’s shares Orchard’s commitment to the community, in particular K-12 public education and community improvement. Lowe’s donates more than $39 million to communities nationwide every year,” she said.

For those schools and organizations that are interested in reaching out to Lowe’s for support, contact community@lowes.com.

  Mary Okeefe