Chinese home improvement chain enters U.S. with first store in Houston

Home improvement in the U.S. is dominated by The Home Depot and Lowe's Companies, Inc., but soon it will have new competition from VEVOR, a Chinese home improvement company set to open its first U.S. store, in Houston, Texas on February 9, 2026.

Unlike its competitors, Vevor will operate a buy online, pick up in-store model using its network of warehouses and store inventory.

The new store is 31,977 square feet, which is larger than the typical ACE Hardware store but smaller than The Home Depot and Lowe’s. The store is located at 10951 FM 1960 Road W, in the northwest part of Houston.

In a press release, Vevor said that this new store is “the first step” in expanding its physical store presence in other major U.S. cities.

Currently, The Home Depot has 51% of the home improvement retail market share. Lowe’s has 28.8% and Menards has only 4.6%, according to recent data from market research firm IBISWorld. Ace has about 4%.

Home improvement sales have been struggling since interest rates were hiked in 2022, with the average 30-year mortgage rate remaining above 6%, causing the housing market to significantly decline.

Founded in Shanghai in 2007 as an eBay seller, Vevor began selling on Amazon in 2013 and launched vevor.com in 2020. Vevor targets DIY consumers and contractors with a strong online presence and stores in more than 50 countries worldwide. It also has more than 200 warehouses worldwide including in Germany, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada and the U.S.

Read more: Home Depot and Lowe’s quietly gain new rival (The Street)