Former Lowe’s store in Niagara Falls officially reopens with new name and features

Your local hardware store might look a little different today.

On July 27, RONA+ announced that it had officially opened the doors to its Niagara Falls store under the new RONA+ branding.

Prior to today, the store, located at 7959 McLeod Road, was a Lowe’s location. 

A number of local leaders appeared at the grand re-opening and board cutting, including Mayor Jim Diodati, MPP Wayne Gates, MP Tony Baldinelli and members of both city and regional council.

Last month, RONA, a home hardware brand that began in Quebec in 1939, announced it was starting to convert some existing Lowe’s stores to RONA locations.

The conversions kicked off this month and will take place over several months. Other Lowe’s locations set to change include stores in Ancaster, Brantford, Cambridge, Hamilton, Kitchener, Sarnia, Waterloo and Windsor. 

“This is an important step in our vision for the future of RONA,” said Catherine Laporte, vice president of marketing at RONA, in a statement. 

“With these conversions, we are making a significant investment and renewing our commitment to the RONA brand. The new RONA+ banner is the first step in a wider plan aimed at redefining how Canadians shop for home improvement, creating new opportunities to improve how we serve them.”

While the Niagara Falls store has been rebranded, it did remain open over the course of the conversion. As for what will be different, a news release said its priority during the transition has been providing “the best possible experience for their home improvement DIY and contractor customers.” 

“This news is positive for all our stakeholders, including RONA’s employees, affiliated dealers, vendors, customers and the communities in which RONA’s operates,” added Laporte. 

“For close to 85 years now, RONA has been a household name standing for great service, exciting product and brand assortments, good value, and a strong sense of community. We want to build on that and create momentum for this beloved Canadian-operated brand.”

The newly-rebranded RONA+ will continue its celebrations tomorrow (July 29) with a community raffle, workshops for kids and deals.