Leroy Merlin closes two of its four large stores in Paris

French DIY market leader Leroy Merlin is closing two of its four large stores in Paris, namely the store on Avenue Daumesnil in the 12th arrondissement with 6,400 m² of retail space and the store in the Rosa Parks district in the 19th arrondissement with 6,000 m². This has been reported not only by the trade publication Zepros, but also by the public pesse. They cite statements by Loïc Porry, who is responsible for the inner city of Paris (‘Paris intramuros’) as regional director.

The reports describe Leroy Merlin's closure of stores as somewhat unique. The two other large-scale stores in the city centre, Beaubourg (near the Centre Georges Pompidou) and Madeleine, are to remain open. According to the reports, Leroy Merlin also plans to open 20 inner-city 'project' stores, set up pick-up stations and invest in big boxes on the outskirts of the city centre. These small locations, with an…