NEW YORK – Home improvement in New York is in for a new look when Lowe’s opens two tiny stores in Manhattan late next year, says Retailing Today.

The home improvement chain plans to open two small-format stores in the second half of 2015, with both stores sized at approximately 30,000 square feet (compared to the typical Lowe’s store footprint of over 100,000 square feet). The new locations, at Broadway/West 68th Street and 6th Avenue/West 19th Street, will offer products and services that are locally relevant to customers, including appliances in a variety of sizes, home organization and storage products to maximize space, and inspiring home decor and accessories to refresh living areas. According to a company news release, most items will be in stock and many will be delivered from Lowe's New York area stores.

“We are excited to expand our presence to Manhattan and we look forward to offering Lowe's project expertise and tailored product selection in two convenient locations,” Richard Maltsbarger, Lowe’s chief development officer, told Retailing Today. “We know customers in Manhattan are already shopping with Lowe’s online and at our New York area stores. Based on our research, we are developing these locations to meet the unique needs of these customers.”

This announcement follows a trend as other big box retailers, including Walmart and Target, experiment with smaller formats in urban locations. (Read more about Walmart’s small format Walmart To Go store in the October issue of NACS Magazine.)