Do It Best Group to make Fort Wayne the world headquarters for True Value

The CEO of Do It Best Group announced that Fort Wayne, Indiana, "will become the official world headquarters for True Value," saying the move follows Do It Best’s 2024 acquisition of the Chicago-based chain and will align the leadership of two longstanding hardware brands in the city.

The announcement onstage in Fort Wayne drew remarks from Governor Mike Br. and Mayor Sharon Tucker, who framed the change as a win for the region. "You're the fastest growing city in the Midwest," Governor Mike Br. said, later noting that unemployment has fallen from "4.4% ... down to 3.3%." Mayor Sharon Tucker welcomed True Value and said visitors connected to the merger praised their experience in the city.

The CEO cast the decision as strategic and operational. He said bringing together the headquarters of Do It Best and True Value creates what he called a "global center of gravity for the hardware and home improvement industry," allowing the companies to better coordinate strategy, integration and vendor partnerships. He emphasized Do It Best’s roots in Fort Wayne, noting the cooperative was founded there in 1945 and now serves thousands of independently owned retailers across more than 60 countries.

Officials said the alignment is intended to strengthen independent retailers by combining scale with local service. The CEO described the move as more than a mailing-address change: "It's about where decisions are made. It's about where strategy is formed. It's about where the integration happens."

Governor Mike Br. praised the private-public collaboration that facilitated the decision, offering an anecdote about shopping at a True Value store to underscore the local retail experience. Mayor Sharon Tucker highlighted the Electric Works redevelopment and called Do It Best’s continued presence and the addition of True Value an important investment in Fort Wayne’s long-term economic momentum. "Thank you for Do It Best staying home and welcome home to True Value," she said.

The event concluded with the CEO thanking state and local leaders and reiterating the company’s mission to support independent business owners. No formal government action or public incentives were recorded in the remarks; the session served as a corporate announcement and ceremonial acknowledgment by elected officials.

What happens next: company leaders said integration and operational planning will continue, but the speakers did not specify a timeline for employee relocations, job counts, or incentives. Those details were not specified during the remarks.