) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁chain ▁of ▁" big - box " ▁home ▁improvement ▁stores , ▁originally ▁based ▁in ▁Virginia ▁Beach , ▁Virginia . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁the ▁chemical ▁manufact uring ▁company ▁W . R . ▁Grace ▁& ▁Co . ▁announced ▁its ▁intent ions ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁home ▁improvement ▁ret ail ▁business , ▁h iring ▁Bernard ▁R . ▁K oss ar ▁and ▁Frank ▁Doc zi ▁to ▁head ▁the ▁new ▁chain . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁Home ▁Qu arters ▁stores ▁opened ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁in ▁Virginia ▁Beach ▁and ▁Ham pton , ▁Virginia . ▁ ▁Grace ▁sp un ▁off ▁H Q ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁and ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁H Q ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁midst ▁of ▁doing ▁an ▁IP O ▁when ▁" Black ▁Monday " ▁[ stock ▁market ▁crash ] ▁occurred . ▁The ▁SE C ▁put ▁a ▁mor ator ium ▁on ▁any ▁IP O ▁until ▁the ▁stock ▁market ▁stabil ized . ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁He ch inger ▁agreed ▁to ▁buy ▁H Q ▁for ▁$ 6 6 ▁million . ▁ ▁The ▁mer ger ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁with ▁Frank ▁Doc zi ▁left ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁the ▁Home ▁Qu arters ▁division ▁( K oss ar ▁moves ▁on ▁to ▁found ▁O W ▁Office ▁W are house , ▁an ▁office ▁supply ▁store ▁that ▁used ▁a ▁logo ▁and ▁brand ing ▁similar ▁to ▁that ▁of ▁H Q .) ▁ ▁Under ▁He ch inger , ▁H