True Value store closures continue
True Value is closing its Franklin, Tennessee location after 53 years as part of a wider pattern of legacy independent closures ahead of an April 1 deadline, highlighting competitive pressure on small hardware operators. That dynamic is reshaping local market footprints in favor of larger chains. (washingtontimes.com)
Owner Mike Outlaw told local reporters that the store’s lumber and wood‑based building materials once made up roughly 70–80% of its sales, and he said the category’s decline sharply reduced overall revenue. (newsweek.com) Outlaw said he actively marketed the business but found no buyers before electing to wind down operations, and local industry notices quoted him blaming “financial realities and the changing retail landscape.” (building-products.com) Longtime staffers reported heavy farewell traffic and named employees by length of service — the store’s manager Charley Beard described multiple offers for his own next steps while colleagues held clearance and memory‑sharing events. (newschannel5.com) The Harpeth property was part of a 2022 parcel acquisition involving Rick English and Mike Outlaw, a real‑estate transaction publicized in a PR Newswire release tied to the store’s location at 203 Downs Blvd. (prnewswire.com) Similar independently owned True Value affiliates have signaled exits this season, including Blossom True Value in Mountain View planning closure when its lease expires and a Morrison, Illinois True Value running a retirement sale, both reported in February–March 2026 local outlets. (building-products.com, regionalmedianews.com) Those store‑level exits follow True Value Company’s Chapter 11 process and sale proceedings in late 2024 and 2025, when the wholesaler arranged a 363‑sale framework with Do it Best and presented a restructuring plan intended to preserve service for roughly 4,500 independent retailers. (truevaluecompany.com, elevenflo.com)
