Holland’s biggest

It may have taken several years, but the German DIY retailer Hornbach has finally opened its new superstore in Breda. This is the biggest DIY outlet in the Netherlands. It seems that the whole area is heading for Konijnenberg, in spite of the cold weather. Huge billboards along the A59 motorway between Den Bosch and Zierikzee proclaim the event. The 550 parking spaces are continuously full. Evert de Goede, director of Hornbach Nederland, is extremely satisfied. The giant Breda store was completed in just under six months: 23 000 m², including a 6 500 m² drive-in and a 6 000 m² garden centre. An investment that amounted to € 30 mio. The store concept has been geared to suit the contemporary mood and requirements. “Our customers want to experience more atmosphere. That is why we have brought the House of Bathrooms and the House of Showers from the German stores to Breda. In addition, since service is part of the sales process, we have positioned the information centre right in the middle.” The decoration department is another that exudes atmosphere. Equally striking is the new drive-in format for trade professionals. “We believe in this concept. We have tested it in other countries. Our core business is project-linked, and we are unique in this respect. The idea is also reinforced by the bays that we use to show consumers how they can do certain things for themselves in their own home. For consumers the drive-in offers convenience, for professionals it is a time-saver,” says De Goede. The first data were impressive. On the eve of the official opening 320 tradesmen visited the DIY store, and they reacted with enthusiasm. Not surprising in De Goede’s opinion: “It’s obvious, they can simply load the goods into their van, and we are considerably better stocked in terms of add-on ranges than builders’ merchants.” Even though Tilburg and Breda are not very far away from each other, De Goede is not worried about sales cannibalism. “Around 89 per cent of the people from Breda prefer to shop in the place where they live. Our store in Breda is aimed at the western part of Brabant and Zeeland, and Belgium as well. We are going to distribute our flyers in Flanders too. That is an interesting target group. People there are doing pretty well economically speaking. So far they have weathered the crisis in good shape.” Download: