Retail space continues to grow

The most recent new opening occurred in Vienna’s 23rd district at the end of December in the shape of the seventh and at the same time the biggest Bauhaus in the Austrian capital. Available there over a retail area of somewhat more than 14 000 m² are in excess of 100 000 products for DIYers and professionals of all kinds in 15 different departments. According to Michael Rausch, chief executive of Bauhaus Austria, the store welcomed more than 7 000 paying customers on the opening day alone.
The almost completely square ground plan of the new Bauhaus allowed the planners to restrict themselves to one big entrance area. Situated on the left-hand side is a large customer loading zone in addition. The store is divided into four separate areas: building materials and structural elements, hard DIY, soft DIY, and the urban garden. Structural elements, building materials, tiles and timber occupy an area in excess of 3 000 m². The urban garden section spreads over more than 4 000 m². Presented here, alongside multitudes of foliage and flowering plants for indoors and out, are attractive decorative articles and garden products. In an adjacent section curtains, furnishing fabrics and a studio that offers a free sewing service provide incentives to create a cosier home. The gallery department keeps a selection of art prints, photo prints and ready-made picture frames in stock, and also offers an individual frame service.
Bauhaus customers who spot a product somewhere else at a better price are not only refunded the difference between the two prices, but also a finder’s reward of ten per cent of the lower price.
The racking in the new Vienna Bauhaus is considerably more than six metres in height. Also new is a colour mixing centre, which can produce a customer’s individual shade of paint instantly. Added to this are further services including delivery (with a crane lorry if required), transport hire, free loan of a trailer, free sewing service, cutting to order of timber, glass and foam, key-cutting and the provision of professional installation services.
Linz as first location in Austria
Bauhaus had a presence in Austria’s do-it-yourself retail trade as long ago as 1972, four years before Baumax arrived on the scene. The group’s first location was in Linz. Nowadays there are 22 Bauhaus outlets in Austria, covering all the states with the exception of Burgenland and concentrating on larger cities. Bauhaus claims to have a ten per cent share of the sector’s total retail area…