Forza Italia

What today is a modern DIY retail company in Italy began more than 120 years ago as a timber merchanting business. The origins of Self, which is based in Turin, go back to 1890. This success story is that of five generations of the Gardino family, who had the astuteness to surround themselves with the right people at the right time and so give shape to the Self brand from 1984 on. The business model of today is the result of know-how and interpersonal skills, and of mature strategic thinking based on the skill of the Italian DIYer. It is also the fruit of a symbiosis between managerial expertise and sales and marketing expertise, for which the family enlisted – as long as six years ago – Kristos Basimas, ex-Kingfisher, and Dr Renato Casati, ex-Castorama, to convert the strategic plan into tactics designed to cover buying, product assortment, sourcing, sales and marketing. A huge investment plan initiated in 2006 has lent Self wings: the total number of stores has gone from 12 to 20 and turnover has more than doubled. In the space of four years the North Italian brand, with a turnover of nearly € 200 mio, has positioned itself discreetly in third place within the Italian DIY world, while increasing its market share appreciably to 5 %. Moreover, it already occupies a comfortable spot as the regional leader in Piedmont. The company’s rapid spread and organic growth (the Self project is 100 % self-supporting, with no franchising) has taken shape along two axes and at two speeds: on one side the optimisation of the neighbourhood concept under the Dottor Brico banner, which is perfectly illustrated by the sales outlet of 2 500 m² at Vilannova Monferato, which has only just opened. This is a local do-it-yourself concept close to the town centre and on the main roads into town. On the other side is the company’s adaptation of the “MSB” (medium-sized DIY format). This is exemplified by the outlet in Settimo (opened 1 December 2011 in the new Cielo retail park) with a sales area of 9 000 m² (7 500 m² internal and 1 500 m² external space and 60 000 SKUs), and the store in Casale (5 000 m²), which clearly define the dimensions of this format. The next one, due to open at Torino Moncaillieri in December, will be the quintessential store of this type. Self’s concept is a reinvention of the classic model of the DIY store. Immediately upon entering one the DIY customer is involved in a universe which aims to accompany him throughout his project, rather than just offer a…