In an unassuming warehouse off Charlotte’s Old Statesville Road, Lowe’s has been quietly ramping up hiring at its new central delivery terminal, one of two such facilities the retailer has opened to try to gain an edge in the competitive home-improvement landscape.

Think of the terminal as a back room for Lowe’s stores. It’s full of everything from appliances to deck furniture and riding lawnmowers, which are unpacked, assembled and delivered straight to customers’ homes.