Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
Wickes, the retail arm of builders merchant group Travis Perkins, is launching a new store concept to make the most of the kitchen and bathroom market.
The company confirmed to buildersmerchantsjournal.net sister site diyweek.net that the new stores will open under the Wickes Kitchens & Bathrooms brand.
The aim is to pick up further market share, following the failure of competitor MFI in 2008.
The stores will range from 5,000sq ft to 10,000sq ft and locations will include both retail park and high street locations.
The first two stores opened at Christchurch in Dorset and Crawley in West Sussex last Thursday, with a third planned for West Hampstead in London.
Wickes’ pre-tax profits soared from £10.2m to £57m in 2009. Kitchen and bathroom like-for-like sales for the full year were ahead by 27.7%, boosted largely by the demise of MFI.
According to Wickes managing director Jeremy Bird, kitchens and bathrooms are still performing extremely well and the retailer has taken market share again this year.
