The Home Depot, Inc. operates as a home improvement retailer. Its stores sell building materials, home improvement products, and lawn and garden products, as well as provide installation, home maintenance, and professional service programs to do-it-yourself, do-it-for-me, and professional customers. The company's installation programs include products, such as carpeting, flooring, cabinets, countertops, and water heaters. It serves home owners, professional remodelers, general contractors, repairmen, small business owners, and tradesmen. As of March 13, 2013, the company operated 2,257 retail stores in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces, and Mexico. The Home Depot, Inc. was founded in 1978 and is based in Atlanta, Georgia.