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This post is one in a series on prominent company nicknames. See all 25, and share your thoughts and memories about Home Despot below in the comments.
One of the most unfortunate of company nicknames that I have ever been witness to, is the distasteful tag of homage that has been bestowed upon Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD). Even more disconcerting than the nickname itself, is the fact that it was bestowed on the company not from outside sources, but from within the company's own hierarchy. "Home Despot" is a name that shall long remain the legacy of one well-jettisoned corporate executive. Home Despot is the name that distinctly belongs to Bob Nardelli, a man who took his own personal neuroses and bound a great corporation with them.
I could feel the effects of the Home Despot when I entered one of the company's retail locations in my neighborhood. Though the store was always tidy and quiet, it had a tight and smothering feel to it. Associates were always available to show me where specific merchandise was, but they were never friendly or engaging. They always seemed afraid to get involved. It was quite a stark contrast to the Menard's store where I definitely preferred to shop. At that store I always felt welcome, and it always felt like things were going on.
I have moved away from the Home Depot store since then, so I can't say if the effects of the Home Despot still linger there. I can however, say that the name itself still does. It's an unfortunate reality that negative nicknames often have a tendency to hang around far longer than the good ones do. I can only hope that the man who gave spawn to the concepts that deserved that nasty title, took with him all the negative sentiment such a name entails. Home Depot never deserved such a negative association, and I think that Bob Nardelli never deserved Home Depot.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-08-2008 @ 9:00AM
bayoubear4 said...
Homo-Depot. Reason is because it is stocked by a fair number of gays and lesibans.
8-08-2008 @ 10:12AM
not it said...
Home Cheapot
8-08-2008 @ 10:26AM
VICTORIA KNIGHT said...
EVERYONE I KNOW CALLS HOME DEPOT " THE PO ", JUST THOUGHT YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW.
8-08-2008 @ 11:36AM
patty said...
yes heard plumbing contractors call it home cheapo as the plumbing supplies are junk.
8-08-2008 @ 12:49PM
kfiei said...
Home Dumpo for the messy conditions and lack of stock of most of their NYC stores
8-08-2008 @ 1:04PM
Ron. said...
I have always called it HOME DESPERATE!
8-08-2008 @ 1:09PM
stehen said...
It is HOMO DEPOT! It is better than a bar to pick up a TRICK at times!
8-18-2008 @ 2:41AM
Gray Canter said...
Home Depot should be known as (Home Dumbo)
because it has some of the most dumb ass assocites that they could ever find to work at these stores. The people are supposed to be knowledgable in do it yourself home repairs, but are they (HELL NO!!!) they are'nt, they are just run of the mill people that could'nt tell you the defferance between a board or a nail.Home dumbo is just another warm bodied store, that's all they will hire (just a warm body)who cares if they know building materials or not just hire them anyway.
8-18-2008 @ 2:39AM
jeff said...
I am frequently doing home improvement projects. I have not used HD since the day Lowe's opened nearby. In order to get service at HD you have to practice the fake Michael Jackson "Moonwalk" That way when you actually locate an employee, they do not realize you are approaching and do not run away.
My last experience with them involved a large delivery to my home. I had a crew of workers sitting around paid while waiting for $2-3 grand in supplies. It never arrived. I called and was told it had been delivered. Turns out it was DAY ONE of them sub contracting deliveries and the company wanted to look good so they entered it as a completed delivery and left it on the truck overnight. They could not assure me it would be first in the morning, so I canceled the order and went next door to Lowe's who matched it and discounted 10%. HD did not want to give a refund even though I managed to work through their phone directory up to the President's secretary. I then realized since it was by check, I called my bank and cancelled. Not the end of it. They then tried to put me into a collections company for the check for non-delivered items. Until I "politely " explained to their collection agency that I would be at the courthouse in the am and they better get an attorney there if they did not want to drop it.
8-18-2008 @ 2:38AM
repodepot said...
I prefer to call it RepoDepot since much of what is there is either defective or sourced from such a cheap third world source that it won't work for long.
8-18-2008 @ 2:38AM
Ron Johnson said...
Home Depot does the best they can in view of their circumstances. You are witnessing the best they can each time you walk into one of their stores. They also created their own circumstances in which was best for them. It fell apart the day Arthur and Bernie left the company. No knowledge of product, no understanding of training to learn product causes a quick dismise.
I wish them good luck as they need it.
8-18-2008 @ 2:37AM
Greg said...
Home Desparate, can never find anyone to help, one checker for the line, products are MORE expensive than Menards, Two is compnay three is a crowd, Lowes and Meards will kill Home Desparate in the retail game, I go there as little as I need to...no help in stores, Menards is helpful.
Only a matter of time