Bernie Marcus has passed away

Bernie Marcus, one of the founders of Home Depot, has died. He was 95 years old. Together with Arthur Blank, he founded the DIY chain in 1978, which became the largest DIY store operator in the USA and worldwide.

Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1929 as the son of Jewish immigrants from Russia, Bernard Marcus studied pharmacy and initially worked in industry and for the Vornado retail chain. In 1972, he became head of Handy Dan Improvement Centres, a Daylin Group company. It was there that he met his future business partner Arthur Blank. When he was fired from Handy Dan in 1978, he developed the concept of a one-stop shop for do-it-yourselfers together with Blank at the age of 49 and opened the first Home Depot stores in Atlanta from 1979. Investment banker Ken Langone provided the financing.

In its obituary for its co-founder, the company emphasised the great commitment with which Marcus, who practised the Jewish faith throughout his life, pursued charitable activities. In 2010, he and his wife Billi joined The Giving Pledge, an initiative initiated by Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, and pledged to give away the majority of their money during their lifetime. They also donated to Donald Trump's election campaigns in 2016 and now in 2024.