Hornbach introduces new format

A total investment of 4.3 mio euro has resulted in the construction of an architecturally attractive store on the site at Germersheim in Rhineland Palatinate, which covers more than 12 000 m². The centrally positioned entrance area, surmounted by a projecting roof almost ten metres high that carries the Lafiora logo, gives coherence to the wide front face of the eight interconnected glasshouses. The gables of these glasshouses, which are built parallel to each other, are eight metres high.
Lafiora is the name of Hornbach’s new stand-alone garden centre.
The new garden centre with its retail area in excess of 6 000 m² (4 700 m² covered, 1 340 m² out of doors) is designed to appeal first and foremost to women. Consequently, as they enter the store their eyes should immediately encounter a wealth of decorative articles, craft supplies, gift items and pictures.
New departures are the decoration and art sections. But the large pet department is also new, a premiere for Hornbach, which is here for the first time offering a pet section. Rodents of all kinds disport themselves in a Noah’s ark, while birds in a variety of sizes and colours supply the appropriate background music from their large aviaries. A total of 40 aquariums, six of them dedicated to plants alone, provide the attraction for aquarists. Two large display tanks show how their dreams can be realised. The pet department is around 500 m² in size and is intended to achieve 25 per cent of the store’s turnover. Machinery is also displayed over 500 m², plants and accessories on 2 000 m², and the rest is divided up among suppliers and seasonal products. Space productivity of around 1 500 euro/m² is the target here, the same as in the two stand-alone garden centres that Hornbach already operates.
New to Hornbach is the pet department.
The main difference at Lafiora is the depth and choice of products where plants and live animals are concerned, as well as seasonal and decorative articles. The group’s professionalism in the areas of timber and machinery has been applied here too. The garden centre has about 40 000 products to offer customers. Information from the company explains that only suitably qualified members of staff are employed, in order to ensure that shopping does not become simply a visual experience. A total of 30 jobs have been created here. The scope of the occupations represented ranges from florist to gardener and on to staff trained in handling pets. A bookbinder assists with framing pictures…