Philippine store numbers continue to grow

Undeterred by reduced store visits owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Philippine operations of two American hardware chains are looking to continue adding locations in the country. Handyman Do It Best, the Philippine licensee of US-headquartered cooperative Do It Best, plans to open a total of 16 stores between August 2020 and December 2021. The Philippine operation of American company True Value, on the other hand, has adopted a more opportunistic approach to expansion, with plans to add locations when "good spaces become available".
As of July 2020, Handyman had 178 mall-based outlets in the Philippines. True Value had 30 at the end of 2019.
Handyman and True Value Philippines are both under the aegis of Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. (RRHI), the country's second largest multi-format retailer. The company acquired the Do It Best licence in 1994 and the True Value franchise in 2006. The two home improvement stores serve different market segments, allowing RRHI to capture a bigger share in the country's hardware and home improvement sector.
"We'll be opening around six more stores for Handyman this year. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we've limited the store growth for the year but will aim to open at least ten stores next year," Stanley Co, general manager for both Handyman and True Value, told DIY International.
Like the existing Handyman and True Value outlets, the new stores will also be in malls, Co said, adding that there are "no plans to have a different format yet". And he observed: "In the Philippines, there are more hardware stores in the malls."
Catering to the broad middle market, Handyman stores range from 300 m² to 3 000 m² depending on the size of the malls they are in. Each location has between 25 000 and 75 000 SKUs, with a wide variety of power and hand tools, electrical and lighting products, home organisers, automotive items, gardening essentials, dog food and pet products.

True Value is positioned as a lifestyle centre. Its outlets anchor premium shopping centres.
As licensees of the American home improvement groups, Handyman and True Value Philippines source their products from their cooperatives. The licensors also serve as the support system in practically all aspects of the Philippine operations, with the…