Big Retail Chains Aim to Reopen

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the nation’s largest retailer, said Saturday that Hurricane Rita forced the temporary closure of 150 of its facilities, including 120 stores, in Texas and Louisiana.

That is about 4% of Wal-Mart’s U.S. facilities, according to spokesman Dan Fogleman, who said the company planned to move truck-based generators to facilities that lost power.

Home Depot Inc., the nation’s largest home improvement retailer, reported that 46 of its stores closed early Saturday, including 41 in the Houston area. By late in the day it had reopened 18 stores.

Spokesman Don Harrison said Home Depot had more than 100 trucks ready to bring supplies to stricken areas. The retailer usually sees increased purchases of generators, chain saws, gas cans, tarps, cleaning supplies and cooking grills after a hurricane has passed and the cleanup process begins.

Wal-Mart spokesman Marty Heires said the retailer was still assessing damage in the area.

“We don’t expect a lot of damage in Houston, but we will need to wait for the return of our associates,” Heires said. “We’ll need to replenish the merchandise in those stores.”

Target Corp. spokeswoman Carolyn Bookter said 33 stores closed in the region, including one New Orleans store closed since Katrina.

Target distribution centers in the region had not been affected, she said, and were sending goods to other stores in areas where evacuees had arrived.

Overall, Rita is unlikely to be a major drag on retail sales nationwide, said Scott Krugman, spokesman for the National Retail Federation.