HHIQ_3Q_17_Complete

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LOWE’S PROMISES BEST
OF BOTH WORLDS WITH
EDMONTON RONA STORE
L
owe’s Canada will gradually convert
RONA’s big box Home and
Garden stores to the Lowe’s banner.
The first, Namao RONA in Edmonton’s
north end, was completed early this summer.
The store underwent a full reracking
and remerchandising, while staff were to
be trained according to Lowe’s guidelines.
The second, Langford RONA Home and
Garden in Victoria, will also undergo a renovation
and re-merchandising of the existing
store and is expected to be completed
by the fall. The 16-week process includes
construction, departmental sequencing of
new racking and re-merchandising, branding,
and IT conversion.
The Namao store will take on Lowe’s
own private brands such as Kobalt, and add
The Edmonton RONA store is the
first to convert banners to Lowe’s.
heavy appliances. However, don’t expect
it to be a strict cookie cutter example of
existing Lowe’s stores. According to Alan
Blundell, divisional vice president, merchandising
for Lowe’s Canada, the refurbished
outlet will combine the best of both
banners, especially in the case of RONA’s
expertise in catering to contractors.
“RONA knows pros and we have to
make sure we build on that,” he said during
a presentation at a recent Hardlines
event. That means providing the breadth
and depth of product that pro customers
count on.
The new store will also reflect a move by
Lowe’s Canada to depart from the current
model, which was developed to cater largely
to the Ontario market. With this refit,
Lowe’s will look for ways to let local markets
drive assortments to a greater degree.
The new Namao Lowe’s will feature
97,429 square feet of retail sales space, a
30,188-square-foot garden centre, and
a lumberyard that comprises 16,922
square feet.
BRIEFLY
BMR WINS COMPANY
OF THE YEAR AWARD
Groupe BMR won the Company of the Year
Award in the category of large-scale organization
during the 2017 edition of the Les
Mercuriades business contest. This award
acknowledges the outstanding work that
was accomplished by BMR to serve two times
more dealers after the acquisition of Groupe
BMR by La Coop fédérée in 2015. In addition,
the company, which celebrates its 50th anniversary
this year, earned the Improvement of
Productivity Award.
TORBSA HELPS SET UP BURSARY
TORBSA has contributed $2,000 to the Lumber
and Building Materials Dealers Association of
Ontario to support a special student bursary
in celebration of the LBMAO’s 100th anniversary
this year. The bursary will be awarded
at the end of September to one person who
is currently an employee or dependent of a
full-time employee of any retailer or supplier
member of the association.
TAIGA HELPS
FORT MAC RESIDENTS
Taiga Building Products has made good on its
pledge to provide additional funds to support
Fort McMurray’s rebuilding efforts by donating
$3 per pair of 2Undr boxers given out to
customers. Taiga handed out 800 pairs of the
garments, while giving a hand to the wildfireravaged
area in Alberta. The company says
it will be topping up its 2016 contribution of
$20,000 with $2,400 more going directly to
the Wood Buffalo Food Bank, thanks to the
WRLA dollars.
www.hardlines.ca Hardlines Home Improvement Quarterly THIRD QUARTER / 2017 13