Question: One of the five largest hardware retailers in the world is a company that was founded in North Wilkesboro in this year?
Context: Hardware stores (in a number of countries, "shops"), sometimes known as DIY stores, sell household hardware for home improvement including: fasteners, building materials, hand tools, power tools, keys, locks, hinges, chains, plumbing supplies, electrical supplies, cleaning products, housewares, tools, utensils, paint, and lawn and garden products directly to consumers for use at home or for business.  Many hardware stores have specialty departments unique to its region or its owner's interests.  These departments include hunting and fishing supplies, plants and nursery products, marine and boating supplies, pet food and supplies, farm and ranch supplies including animal feed, swimming pool chemicals, homebrewing supplies and canning supplies.  The five largest hardware retailers in the world are The Home Depot, Lowe's (both of the United States), Kingfisher of the United Kingdom, Obi of Germany, and Leroy Merlin of France. Ace Hardware Corporation is an American hardware retailers' cooperative based in Oak Brook, Illinois, United States.  It is the world’s largest hardware retail cooperative, and the largest non-grocery American retail cooperative. The Brushy Mountain Apple Festival is a one-day arts and crafts fair held annually in downtown North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.  The fair is held during the first Saturday in October.  Over 160,000 people visit the fair each year, and it is one of the largest single-day arts and crafts fairs in the Southeastern United States.  The fair is held to celebrate the apple harvest from the nearby Brushy Mountains.  Over 100 church, civic, and other non-profit organizations from Wilkes County and neighboring counties participate in the fair each year. Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a Fortune 500 American company that operates a chain of retail home improvement and appliance stores in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.  Founded in 1946 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, the chain has 1,840 stores in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The Tyson Holly Farms 400 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series (now Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series) stock car race held annually from 1949 to 1996 at the North Wilkesboro Speedway in Wilkes County, North Carolina.  It was the second of two Winston Cup Series races held annually (with the springtime First Union 400) at North Wilkesboro Speedway before the track was abandoned in 1996.  The race was normally held in late September or early October.  The race marked the last time a race winner finished at least a lap ahead of the rest of the field (1994, Geoff Bodine won by one lap over Terry Labonte). Wilkes Regional Medical Center is a 130-bed, regional medical center in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, that offers a full range of medical, surgical, rehabilitative, pathology, ophthalmology and behavioral health services.  WestPark Medical Park, which includes numerous offices for physicians, medical specialists, pharmacies, physical therapists, and other medical and health-related fields also serves the hospital.  WRMC is the largest hospital in northwestern North Carolina and is North Wilkesboro's largest employer.  Originally, the hospital was opened on May 1, 1952 as Wilkes General Hospital. Wilkes County is a county located in the US state of North Carolina.  As of the 2010 census, the population was 69,340.  In May 2016, the population is almost 69,000.  Its county seat is Wilkesboro, and its largest town is North Wilkesboro.  Wilkes County comprises the North Wilkesboro, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area. North Wilkesboro Speedway was a short track that held races in NASCAR's top three series, including 93 Winston Cup Series races.  The track, a NASCAR original, operated from 1949, NASCAR's inception, until the track's closure in 1996.  The speedway briefly reopened in 2010 and hosted several Stock Car Series races, including the now-defunct ASA Late Model Series, USARacing Pro Cup Series, and PASS Super Late Models, before closing forever in the spring of 2011.  The track is located on U.S. Route 421, about five miles east of the town of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.  It measured 0.625 mi and featured a unique uphill backstretch and downhill frontstretch. North Wilkesboro is a town in Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States.  The population was approximately 4,116 at the 2000 census and is now 4,245 as of the 2010 census.  North Wilkesboro is the birthplace and original home of Lowe's Home Improvement, which continues to have a major presence in the community.  The town is also known as one of the birthplaces of the sport of stock-car racing, and the North Wilkesboro Speedway was the first NASCAR-sanctioned track.  Due to the town's proximity to the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains and the numerous tourist venues there, North Wilkesboro has been nicknamed the "Key to the Blue Ridge". Wilkes Central High School is a public high school (grades 9–12) located in Moravian Falls, North Carolina.  It is a part of the Wilkes County Schools system.  The school's enrollment is typically around 1,000 students.  The school's district includes the towns of Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro as well as the southern regions of Wilkes County.  The current principal of the school is Dr. Dion Stocks.  Wilkes Central has the largest enrollment of Wilkes County's four public high schools.
Answer: 1946