Homepages aren't what they used to be
Unlike the days when we had to type in the full address of the website we wanted to visit, the homepage is no longer the starting point of a website.
As established users, we are completely comfortable typing in the exact thing we want to find more about into a search engine and then choosing a location and landing on a relevant page that appeals, totally bypassing the homepage. This way of browsing the internet has become naturalised to almost all of us.
Homepages used to be viewed as a concise reflection of the entire website and the main entrance way into other pages. It was the front door to the shop, guiding us to the appropriate aisles, so we could buy what we wanted.