Engineering and construction group DST is building a new store for Leroy Merlin in a joint venture that enables the French company to double its number of outlets in the Algarve.
The new site in Loulé will be turned into the largest Leroy Merlin in the region with the construction of the store, on just under a hectare of land, due to be completed in October 2017.
Going head-to-head with IKEA, also now in Loulé, the New Leroy Merlin store complex will have two parking levels, the warehouse and sales areas and the interior will have two mezzanines for technical and staff areas.
The surrounding area will be landscaped and a road upgraded to connect to the existing infrastructure. This project will cost around €6.8 million and adds a 12th store to the compoany’s Portuguese network.
According to José Teixeira, chairman of the DST Group, this contract "confirms the confidence that great brands place in the work we do, even for work of high technical complexity," adding that "it is a source of pride for us to participate in an essential project for the local economy, in particular as regards job creation."
In 1923, Adolphe Leroy and Rose Merlin, opened a business selling US military surplus goods. They later branched out into selling DIY products and supplies at moderate prices. In 1960, the company changed its name from Stock Américain to Leroy Merlin.
In the 80s and with 33 stores, the company was bought out by the Mulliez family, pioneers in mass marketing and in 1989 the first store outside of France opened in Spain.
Portugal became the fourth European country to welcome Leroy Merlin when the first store opened in Gondomar, near Oporto in 2003.
In 2007 ADEO was created as the holding company for Leroy Merlin and with seven other DIY and home décor banners, each also having their own management.
Comments
They do outperform Aki on price and selection, but for us West coasters they're too far away to be worth driving to most of the time.
Aki is owned by the same holding company, which makes it unlikely that Leroy Merlin will ever directly compete.
Professional local hardware stores and building suppliers have many items with better quality at equivalent or lower prices. If you know what to ask for.