Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
The third Bunnings Warehouse store in the UK opened its doors in the Hertfordshire town of Hemel Hempstead last week (Friday June 10).
On the site of the former Homebase at Apsley Mills Retail Park, the branch measures 64,000sq ft and employs 111 people, including 53 in newly created full- and part-time roles.
The store stocks more than 27,000 different home improvement and garden lines, including paint mixing services from Johnstone’s Trade, Crown and Dulux, and a new tool shop offering brands such as Ryobi and DeWalt.
The unit also boasts a café, indoor children’s play area, timber cutting, colour wall and engraving and key cutting services.
To celebrate the opening, Olympic gymnast champion (and local resident) Max Whitlock MBE hosted a welcome breakfast for staff.
Max said: “It’s great that Bunnings has chosen Hemel Hempstead as the location for its third store in the UK. Hemel is where it all began for me so I’m delighted to be back opening the store. I’m sure it will be a huge success.”
The outlet is hosting two opening events this weekend (June 17-18) and next (June 24-25), offering a raft of free family activities.
Bunnings is a leading retailer of home improvement and outdoor living products in Australia and New Zealand, operating out of 357 trading locations (of which 248 are warehouse stores), employing over 40,000 staff.
The company, part of Australia’s Wesfarmers Group, plans to invest up to £500 million rolling out the Bunnings Warehouse format across the UK and Ireland over the next three to five years.
Last February Bunnings acquired home improvement and garden retailer Homebase in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Bunnings Warehouse opened its first two stores – both in the Hertfordshire town of St. Albans – in February on Griffiths Way and April Hatfield Road.
More stores are confirmed for Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire and Folkestone in Kent.
As of May, Bunnings also operates as Homebase out of 252 trading locations, employing over 12,000 staff in the UK and Ireland.
