Mr. Bricolage parts with all own stores and pushes digital transformation forward

The French franchise group Mr. Bricolage no longer wishes to operate its own stores itself in future. It wants to close 17 unprofitable stores as early as 2017. A third of the existing own stores are to be sold to current franchisees in the next two years. A further third are to be modernised and then also sold to members of the group. Headquarters wants to invest around € 13 million on these measures by 2017.
Selling off its own stores is one of the three columns in the strategic reorientation entitled "Rebond". The group wishes to concentrate on its core business and fundamental business model: locally supporting the affiliated independent traders. The two other columns are the redefinition of the range of products, with a focus on changing consumer habits, and a digital transformation, which is to include all locations and connect them using new digital services.
With the Rebond strategy plan, the group of DIY stores, which was founded in 1964, is going back to its roots. "Rebond marks a new stage in the development of our group," says Paul Cassignol, Chairman of the Board. "The operation and development of our networks by independent local supplier businesses are the roots of the success of our brand Mr Bricolage."