Q 01/05

In which year was The Home Depot founded?

A) 1978

B) 1981

C) 1984

D) 1990

Answer · why

A) 1978

Its founders had just been fired from a rival chain a few months earlier.

Q 02/05

In which metro area did the first two stores open in June 1979?

A) Dallas

B) Los Angeles

C) Atlanta

D) Miami

Answer · why

C) Atlanta

The stores in Doraville and Decatur were built in spaces leased from J. C. Penney that had been Treasure Island hypermarkets.

Q 03/05

Bernard Marcus and Arthur Blank founded The Home Depot after being fired from which chain?

A) Hechinger

B) Handy Dan

C) Builders Square

D) Rickel

Answer · why

B) Handy Dan

Marcus had been CEO of the Los Angeles-based home improvement chain and Blank was its vice president of finance.

Q 04/05

Which investment banker organised the financing that let Marcus and Blank start the company?

A) Henry Kravis

B) Carl Icahn

C) Michael Milken

D) Ken Langone

Answer · why

D) Ken Langone

He had earlier persuaded Ross Perot to let his firm handle the IPO of Electronic Data Systems.

Q 05/05

What is the company's signature colour, used on signs, equipment and employee aprons?

A) Green

B) Blue

C) Orange

D) Yellow

Answer · why

C) Orange

It is officially PMS 165, hex FF6600; British rival B&Q even copied the shade for its warehouse stores in the 1990s.