EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS
27
DIY superstore launches in SA
The leading home-improvement store in Europe, Leroy Merlin,
opened its first store in South Africa on 28 September 2018.
By Warren Robertson
According to the sales pitch, the store offers all
its products through both the brick-and-mortar
store and online, which, combined with friendly,
knowledgeable service and a series of other
services designed to make customers’ lives easier,
should deliver a top-quality experience no matter
where the customer is located.
The store calls this concept ‘Phygital’ — meaning,
the best of both physical and digital — and the
owners believe this will be enough of a difference
to carve Leroy Merlin a unique space in the local
business environment. “I really think that our new
concept … will offer a unique experience that
www.plumbingafrica.co.za
South African customers deserve, and when I see
the energy and the pleasure our team members
show towards their work, I am very confident that
we will succeed,” says Cédric Sennepin, Leroy
Merlin South Africa country leader.
Plumbers should take note of the launch, as there
is a wide range of products available on the shelves
that are imported exclusively by Leroy Merlin,
perhaps providing more options for clients when
it comes to faucets and fittings, as well as a vast
stock of pipes, valves, and plumbing equipment.
The first Leroy Merlin store was opened in France
by entrepreneurs Adolphe Leroy and Rose Merlin
as an American military surplus store shortly after
World War I. Over time, the store slowly morphed,
sticking to its American product and feeling roots,
and in 1968, the company created the first self-
service DIY hardware store in France, in Noeux-les-
Mines. The company continues to branch out and
now encompasses nearly 400 stores around the
world, with South Africa being the latest addition.
“We are not here just for this one store, or
to steal market share … We believe we offer
something new, something unique for South
Africa, and this branch is only going to be the
first of many,” says Sennepin. PA
This first store contains a whopping 17 000m 2 of
space, which is packed to the rafters with a wide
selection of construction, home improvement, and
home decor products, as well as tools. Offering
an efficient drive through as well as supplies
from a number of sections, including bathroom,
kitchen, home decor, garden, hardware, electrical,
carpentry, and most importantly, plumbing,
Leroy Merlin promises to deliver only the best
locally produced brands and products, as well as
superior internationally sourced items. Brightly
lit, and intuitively laid out, Leroy Merlin describes
itself as something of a DIY hypermarket, and it
really does fit the description.
Photos of plumbing sections
and bathroom accessories
throughout the store.
November 2018 Volume 24 I Number 9