Menards is a chain of home improvement stores in the Midwestern United States.
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| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (Home Improvement) |
| Founded | 1962 Eau Claire, WI |
| Headquarters | Eau Claire, WI |
Key people | John Menard, Jr., President, Larry Menard, Operations Manager |
| Products | Home improvement products such as building materials, tools, hardware, garden supplies, electrical supplies, ceiling fans, cabinets, appliances, doors, windows, paint, stain, wallpaper, plumbing supplies, carpet, vinyl and linoleum |
| Revenue | $4 billion (estimated) |
Number of employees | 20,000 |
| Website | Menards Corporate Site |
The privately-held chain was founded by John Menard, Jr., in 1962 and is headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The chain has slightly over 200 stores in 10 states (as of late 2005). But based on sales, Menards is the third-largest home improvement chain in the United States behind Home Depot and Lowe's. In 2004, Menard Inc. ranked 20th on Forbes' list of "America's Largest Private Companies."
For many years, Menards' television commercials featured free-lance announcer Ray Szmanda, who became a cult figure as "the Menards Guy." Recent commercials feature a voice-over in his place, although a cartoon version of "the Menards Guy" still appears in Menards' print ads. The commercials are accompanied with banjo music and end with the well-known jingle, "Save big money at Menards." (During the Christmas shopping season the jingle changes to "Warm season's greetings to you all from Menards.")
Founder John Menard, Jr. is also active in auto racing, having started Team Menard. Menards currently sponsors the Indy Racing League's Infiniti Pro Series. Menards is also the primary sponsor for the #11 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Busch Series, driven by Paul Menard, John Menard, Jr's son. Menards also sponsors Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Robby Gordon in NASCAR's Nextel Cup series and Vitor Miera in the Indy Racing League.
John Menard Jr's brother Larry serves as Menards operations manager. Larry's son Charlie is also involved in the company. Rumors are he will take over the company someday.