Grainger store opening on La. 311

Touted as the world’s leading industrial supply distributor, Grainger is opening a new store in Houma.

W.W. Grainger has broken ground for the store on Louisiana Highway 311, next to L.E. Fletcher’s Allied Health facility. Grainger supplies products that keep facilities operating, from electrical and plumbing to building safety and vehicle fleet maintenance.

Although Grainger has seven stores throughout the state, local customers have wanted a store closer to the area, according to Shaun Holladay, a Grainger district branch service manager.

“It’s obviously going to save them time and money, keeping them on the job longer,” he said. “It helps to go to one place to get their supplies instead of driving to multiple locations.”

The Houma store will open either later this year or early next year. It will be about 18,000 square feet, with a 2,500 square-foot showroom displaying 19,000 different Grainger items.

Like its other 500-plus stores, Grainger will hire 10 new employees to start off, adding more depending on the business growth level.

Despite earning over $6.4 billion in sales last year, Grainger is not concentrating on revenue growth for the new store.

“The thing we’re focused on is getting more inventory closer to our customers and increasing their efficiency,” Holladay said. “Through good service, we hope the local community will do more business with us.”

The Houma store is one of four in the state Grainger plans to open in hopes of expanding its market share. The others are in Gonzales, which opened June 11, New Iberia and south Baton Rouge.