Low San Hardware has risen from the ashes

From the ashes, Brunei's Low San Hardware, one of the biggest names in home improvement in the sultanate, has risen. The establishment, which occupies eight shop lots in the bustling Batu Bersurat area, was found emitting thick smoke in the early hours of 2 September last year, when firefighters were dispatched following a distress call. But it didn't take the retailer long to recover - by December, it had already done some renovation works and announced its reopening to the public. When DIY International visited last July, the branch was operating out of two shop lots, while the rest of the store remained shuttered. Bosch power tools were in prominent display, and items that were not immediately visible could be enquired about with shop assistants - proof that it takes more than flames to destroy the upscale home improvement company in Brunei, which has a legacy that runs for more than half a century.

You can read a detailed analysis of the home improvement market in Brunei in the DIY+ section.