5 Lowe's locations in Edmonton area to be rebranded Rona+

What's old is new again for five Edmonton-area big-box stores.

Five Lowe's locations in the Edmonton area are being rebranded Rona+ "over the coming weeks," according to a media release from Rona, a Canadian home-improvement and construction materials retail chain owned by U.S. equity firm Sycamore Partners.

They include the North East, South Common, West, St. Albert and Sherwood Park locations.

According to the Lowe's Canada website, the other two Edmonton locations -- Gateway off Calgary Trail south of Whitemud Drive and Namao on 165 Avenue at 96 Street -- will close. The Rona location at 18445 Stony Plain Road is also closing.

Sycamore acquired the Canadian operations of the U.S.-based Lowe's, including Rona locations, a year ago. Lowe's had acquired the Rona chain in 2016 for $3.2 billion, converting some of the Canadian stores into Lowe's locations.

In July, Rona announced it would convert Canadian Lowe's locations to the new banner Rona+.

Rona operates 425 corporate and affiliate stores across Canada, under the Lowe's, Rona+, Rona and Dick's Lumber banners, employing 22,000 people.

“The conversions of Lowe's stores represent a significant investment and a renewed commitment to the Rona brand," said Andrew Iacobucci, CEO of Rona Inc. "Rona has been a household name for home improvement in Canada for close to 85 years now."

The stores will remain open during the conversions and will honour Lowe's guarantees and gift cards, Rona said in the release.