Take a look inside Menards, the Midwest home-improvement chain owned by Wisconsin’s richest billionaire

• Menards home-improvement stores earned John Menard Jr. his $22.9 billion fortune.
• The Midwest chain is different from other stores, with mail-in rebates and no installation services.
• I was surprised by Menards’ size and enormous selection.

If you’ve spent any time in the Midwest, chances are the “Save big money at Menards” jingle is permanently embedded in your brain.

Menards, the home-improvement chain founded by John Menard Jr., is known for its discounted prices, mail-in rebates, and quirky Midwestern charm. The company helped Menard Jr. achieve billionaire status with a net worth of $22.9 billion, making him the richest person in the state of Wisconsin.

Last year, Menards earned $13.4 billion in revenue, Forbes reported, making it the third-largest home-improvement chain in the US behind Home Depot and Lowe’s.

During a recent trip to my hometown in Wisconsin, I accompanied my dad, a frequent Menards shopper, on one of his trips to see what has made it such a successful business.