After closing in late 2022 following a fire, the Home Depot off Shawnee Mission Parkway in Shawnee plans to reopen this week just in time for the busy spring home improvement and gardening season.
The fire broke out early on the morning of Sunday, Dec. 4, near the outdoor garden center.
No one was in the building at the time and the damage was contained to the garden center. The cause of the fire was “undetermined,” the store’s manager Craig Collom said.
Since the fire about 12 weeks ago, the Shawnee Home Depot has been closed to the public and many of its employees were temporarily relocated to other stores in the area, including the one off of Johnson Drive in Merriam.
The Shawnee Home Depot has been renovated
- Though Collom said the actual building didn’t sustain fire damage, the store has undergone a renovation and upgrade project over the last three months.
- It has added a new aisle, rearranged the display racks and updated the customer service desk as well as the check out counters.
- They’ve also completely redone some of the showrooms and departments and added a home kitchen design center, and the employee break room was also replaced.
- “We as Home Depot just took this opportunity to improve the store,” Collom said. “We just wanted to make sure the store was the absolute best when we reopen for our customers.”
A grand reopening is planned Wednesday
- While the Shawnee Home Depot will officially reopen for business on Thursday, March 9, there will be a special family-oriented event on Wednesday, beginning at 3 p.m.
- The event will start with an American Legion flag-raising ceremony and a special “board cutting ceremony” that will serve as a sort of ribbon-cutting.
- Later on, there will be builder and gardening workshops for kids, as well as funnel cakes, cupcakes, soft pretzels and giveaways, Collom said.
- On Thursday, vendors and food trucks will also be at the store on the first official day of business.
Home Depot is hiring 250 people across KC for busy spring season
- Over the next few months, Home Depot stores across the Kansas City area are looking to hire a total of 250 employees.
- Exactly how many people would come to work at the Shawnee store isn’t clear, Home Depot corporate spokesperson Beth Marlowe said.
- Starting hourly pay is a minimum of $15.
- Find information about hiring here.
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