Buchan was born on November 27, 1916, in
Pinehurst, North Carolina. He went to State College (
North Carolina State University) to study journalism. After the outbreak of
World War II, he enlisted in the military and completed his training at the Officer's Training School in
Camp Lee, Virginia. After Lowe's death, his daughter Ruth inherited his hardware store, which was then called Lowe's North Wilkesboro Hardware. This gentleman's agreement is said to have sealed Jim and Buchan's partnership. Among the innovations he introduced was the ''Lowe's Companies Profit Sharing Plan and Trust'', which allowed employees partial ownership of the company. By 1960, the company was operating 13 stores that sold hardware, home appliances, and lumber at a discount. == References ==