Q ▁hit ▁the ▁prime ▁of ▁its ▁life ▁and ▁expanded ▁to ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁as ▁a ▁vi able ▁compet itor ▁to ▁Home ▁Dep ot , ▁L owe ' s , ▁and ▁Build ers ▁Square . ▁ ▁However , ▁by ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁its ▁parent ▁company ▁He ch inger ▁had ▁been ▁hit ▁with ▁financial ▁trouble ▁and ▁began ▁to ▁scale ▁back ▁its ▁operations , ▁including ▁moving ▁H Q ' s ▁headquarters ▁from ▁Virginia ▁Beach ▁to ▁He ch inger ' s ▁main ▁office ▁in ▁Land over , ▁Maryland . ▁ ▁The ▁He ch inger ▁family ▁sold ▁the ▁company ▁to ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁invest ors ▁Leonard ▁Green ▁& ▁Part ners ▁for ▁$ 5 0 7 ▁million ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁and ▁the ▁management ▁launched ▁new , ▁smaller ▁concept ▁stores ▁called ▁Better ▁Sp aces ▁and ▁W ye ▁River ▁Hard ware ▁& ▁Home ▁searching ▁for ▁a ▁n iche . ▁In ▁September , ▁He ch inger / H Q ▁was ▁merged ▁with ▁San ▁Antonio , ▁Texas - based ▁Build ers ▁Square , ▁formerly ▁owned ▁by ▁K mart . ▁ ▁After ▁several ▁r ounds ▁of ▁store ▁clos ings , ▁He ch inger ▁Co . ▁and ▁Home ▁Qu arters ▁W are house ▁file d ▁for ▁Chapter ▁ 1 1 ▁bank rupt cy ▁protection ▁on ▁June ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁but ▁the ▁re organ ization ▁failed . ▁That ▁September , ▁He ch inger ' s ▁assets ▁were ▁liquid ated , ▁including ▁its ▁ 1 1 7 ▁remaining ▁stores . ▁ ▁References