This episode of Acquired explores the origin story of Home Depot, tracing its rise from a struggling hardware chain to the world’s largest specialty retailer. Hosts Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal detail how founders Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank were fired from Handy Dan, prompting them to launch a revolutionary warehouse concept inspired by Price Club. The narrative highlights the pivotal role of investment banker Ken Langone, who secured initial capital and later facilitated a syndicate of investors after a deal with Ross Perot collapsed over a trivial dispute. The episode also examines…
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