First Praktiker for Bulgaria

Bulgaria’s first Praktiker started up in Sofia on 17 September with a retail area of 7 000 m².
Praktiker Bau- und Heimwerkermärkte AG (of Kirkel, Germany) opened its first Bulgarian DIY store in the capital, Sofia, on 17 September. This Praktiker outlet, which was built within six months, is located on a very accessible site at the main traffic axis leading towards the south-east of the country. Awaiting the customer on a retail area of approximately 7 000 m² is a complete assortment of around 50 000 products covering everything required for building and DIY work.
Today 96 per cent of Bulgarian households own the property they live in, since the previously state-owned flats were sold off cheaply after the collapse of communism. It is assumed that these buildings require a great deal in the way of renovation. Which is why the focus is on the categories of building materials, tools and machinery in the new Praktiker store, as well as plumbing and decorative accessories, which have their own dedicated area with curtains and fabrics and suchlike. In the building materials section there are also settings that show the customer examples of product applications. He is automatically led past them to get an idea of how things will look when the work is finished.
The image-building campaign urging people to “Start marking your ideas” is visible on posters all over Sofia.
On opening day furniture, kitchenettes and chairs were in great demand, and the stocks of laminate were literally plundered, according to press officer Markus Frey.
Highly sought-after goods on opening day: the stocks of laminate flooring were literally plundered.
Where customer services are concerned, the range available in Sofia is far more comprehensive than in German Praktiker stores: on offer here are wood-cutting and picture-framing, as well as a sewing service.
The items are graded in three different price segments: a starter level, a middle segment and A-brands. Since the Bulgarian customers demand high quality standards, it is hoped to stock the best possible quality in the starter pricing levels, where demand is expected to be especially strong. GDP per head of population amounts to about € 2 400 annually in Bulgaria.
Michael Trapp has headed the national company in Bulgaria since 2003.
There is also a garden centre integrated into the DIY superstore. This consists of an area covering around 500 m² where the main emphasis in on the theme of kitchen gardens. However, it is also intended to develop…