Home Retail Group makes purchase

Habitat, a UK-based home furnishing company, has been acquired by the Home Retail Group, owner of Homebase and Argos, for £ 24.5 mio. Although Habitat currently runs 33 stores in the UK and 38 on mainland Europe, this deal only affects the three London flagship stores, the brand name, the UK website and intellectual property. One of the consequences of the deal will be the opening of Habitat concessions in some of the Home Retail Group’s Homebase stores. The administrator is looking for buyers for the remaining Habitat stores. Hilco, the current owner, has confirmed that it is negotiating with a major European company on the fate of the 27 stores in France, six in Spain and five in Germany.