Friday, Jan. 27, 2012

2-day auction set for Lowe's inventory, displays

The remaining merchandise from the former Lowe's home improvement store will be up for auction in early February.

Auctioneer Steve Nelson of Porterville-based Nelson Auctions said the two-day sale is planned at the former Lowe's site, 1301 E. Pacheco Blvd., on Feb. 3 and 4. Bidding will begin both days at 8 a.m.

"All the remaining inventory and display items will be for sale," Nelson said, adding that that does not include shelving and equipment like forklifts.

With more than 5,500 individual lots to be sold, Nelson estimated the value of the merchandise in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Nelson said the auction will see tools, supplies and appliances of all sorts, and is open to the public. He said items aimed at contractors are mostly scheduled for Feb. 3, while Feb. 4 will be directed toward the general public.

In October, 100 employees lost their jobs when the North Carolina-based corporation closed 20 underperforming sites nationwide. The Los Banos store opened in 2006.

The Lowe's corporation owns the 117,000-square-foot building and the surrounding 12.4 acres, which the county has assessed at $13.4 million.

A pre-auction peek at the merchandise is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday.

Enterprise reporter Thaddeus Miller can be reached at (209) 388-6562 or by email at tmiller@losbanos

enterprise.com.