New England Stores Stayed Open during Floods

Residents in New England battled the worst flooding in 100 years after record-breaking storms dumped rain on an already water-logged area last month. Eight Home Depot stores stayed open 24 hours to meet product shipments and serve customers. Store 2614 in Reading, Mass., set up “Storm Stations” near the front doors with pumps, vacs, tarps, PVC pipe, fittings and other flood-related items that customers needed.Store 2659 in South Attleboro, Mass., took care of more than 2,500 customers in one afternoon, including many who waited in heavy downpours to get cleanup equipment.

Associates from around the district rallied together to send pallets of products to the stores that were hardest hit.

David Kalenoski, store manager of Store 6230 in Windham, Conn., had customers driving to his store from Rhode Island looking for sump pumps. David’s supply was running low so he drove to Auburn, Mass., filled his SUV with pumps the store manager had set aside for him, and returned with the pumps to his store.

Customers were grateful that in the middle of this natural disaster they found our stores well- organized and our associates to be calm and helpful.

“The number of customers that have become Home Depot customers for life today is astounding,” said store manager Bryan McMakin of Store 2614 in Reading, Mass.

“Customers stopped to tell me how pleased and impressed they were that we, as a Company, are doing this for them in their times of need,” Bryan added. “We have seen tears of joy shed and hugs given from customers to associates.”