Founded in 1946 in North Wilkesboro, NC, which is approximately 85 miles north of the Queen City, Lowes is a Fortune 500 company that boasts a series of over 1,700 retail home improvement and appliance stores throughout the United States and Canada. The chain is based in Mooresville, North Carolina, just outside of Charlotte, where the company’s corporate headquarters are located. Lowe’s is the second-largest hardware chain in the United States, and in the world, just behind Home Depot.

Why is a hardware chain so significant to Charlotte, NC? Besides the fact that the company is headquartered very close by, many of the residential homes in the area and beyond owe much of their construction to the home improvement items sold at Lowe’s. This is just one of several Fortune 500 companies that is proud to call North Carolina home. The wide variety of products sold here include: home decoration items, bathroom products, patio furniture, landscaping aids, ceiling fans and accessories, tools, paint, grills, lighting accessories, flooring, electrical and plumbing products and lumber.

Besides being a leader in the home improvement industry and a leader in excellent customer retail, Lowe’s has an impeccable environmental record. The company won eight consecutive Energy Star awards between the years of 2003 and 2010, four of which were Partner of the Year awards for educating consumers about the benefits of energy efficiency. In 2010 Lowe’s also became the first winner of the Energy Star Sustained Excellence Award in Retail, recognizing the company’s leadership as a retailer of energy efficient products, as well as educators to both consumers and employees on the value of the Energy Star program. Moreover, in 2000, Lowe’s promised that none of the wood products sold in its stores would come from rainforests. Employees enjoy the convenience of direct deposit – another piece of evidence to suggest Lowe’s dedication to environmental preservation.

Lowe’s has done more than operate retail hardware stores, however. In 1998, the company purchased the naming rights of Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, just 20 minutes outside of Charlotte’s center city, and the speedway changed its name to Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Though the naming rights expired, returning the speedway to its original name in 2010, Lowe’s is still a big supporter of racing, as the primary sponsor for several races and teams over the years.

Moving to the Queen City? If you’re a first-time homebuyer, or plan to build a home in Charlotte, NC, visit a Lowe’s Home Improvement warehouse to stock up on supplies to make your home beautiful and energy efficient. And don’t forget to pay a visit to the Charlotte Motor Speedway.