FTI Consulting is handling media/investor relations for the Orchard Supply hardware and garden store chain, which has agreed to be acquired by the Lowe's Cos. home improvement chain for $205M.

The transaction calls for Lowe's to snap up at least 60 of Orchard’s 89 stores, pending approval by a Chapter 11 bankruptcy court.

Orchard, which was spun off by Sears in 2002, generated $657M in revenues last year. Its California holdings offer attractive geographic expansion opportunities for Mooresville, N.C.-based Lowe’s.

Claiming it was seriously overleveraged when spun-off from Sears, Orchard sees the Lowes/Chapter 11 filing as a way to reposition for growth and “definitely address” balance sheet issues. Orchard lost $118M for its fiscal year ended February.

Lowe’s will operate Orchard as a standalone entity under its current leadership headed by CEO Mark Baker.

FTI's Leigh Parrish and Matt Gross represent Orchard, while Lowe’s relies on in-house staffers Tiffany Mason and Chris Ahearn.