Founder Profile
Carl Buchan
Last reviewed: October 2026 · By Swet Parvadiya
Who is Carl Buchan?
Carl Buchan is a founder of Lowe's Companies, Inc., which was founded in 1921 with Lucius Smith Lowe.
- Company founded
- Lowe's Companies, Inc.
- Founded
- 1921
- Co-founders
- Lucius Smith Lowe
Background
Retail operator and World War II veteran who built Lowe's early multi-store expansion in the Carolinas.
Founding Story
Carl Buchan, married to Lucius Lowe's daughter Ruth, became a partner in the store in 1943. After military service in World War II he anticipated the post-war building boom, narrowed the business to hardware and building materials, and bought out James Lowe in 1952. He expanded Lowe's into a regional chain before his death in 1960, a year before the company went public. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Sources
This profile does not yet cite a source specific to Carl Buchan. The sources below document the company company rather than the person, so check them against the claims above.
- Lowe's Q2 2026 earnings release (Lowe's Companies, Inc.)
- Lowe's Q1 2026 earnings release (Lowe's Companies, Inc.)