Bricostore

Bricostore was a French home-improvement retailer founded by the Bresson family in Paris in 1991. The brand operated large-format stores selling do-it-yourself, home-improvement, and related household products. Although it began in France, its most significant later expansion took place in Central and Eastern Europe, particularly Hungary and Romania, with a smaller presence in Croatia. The French operation was relatively short-lived. Bricostore operated seven stores in France until 2001, when six were sold to Bricorama and the remaining location was closed. The transaction effectively ended the brand's original French store network, even though the Bricostore name continued to be used in overseas operations. Bricostore entered Hungary in 1999 and eventually operated nine stores there. The Hungarian network was closed in 2012, after which individual locations were sold or transferred to other retailers and companies. OBI acquired three of the former Hungarian stores. This withdrawal marked the end of Bricostore's Hungarian retail presence. Romania became the brand's largest and most enduring market. The first Romanian store opened in March 2002, and the network reached 15 stores by March 2011. In April 2013, the British home-improvement group Kingfisher acquired the Romanian Bricostore stores for €75 million. Kingfisher subsequently converted the locations to its Brico Dépôt format, ending Bricostore's operation in Romania as an independent brand. Bricostore also entered Croatia in 2004 and later operated three stores there. The Croatian locations closed in 2013. The former stores in Kaštel Sućurac and Zagreb were rebranded as Pevex outlets, while the Pula location was rebranded as Bauhaus. The brand's history therefore reflects a multi-market expansion strategy followed by market exits and asset-level transfers rather than a single corporate continuation. Bricostore is now defunct as a retail brand. Its former stores have been absorbed into competing home-improvement formats, including Bricorama in France, OBI in Hungary, Brico Dépôt in Romania, and Pevex and Bauhaus in Croatia.

Bricostore was established in Paris in 1991 by the Bresson family as a French home-improvement retail business. Its format focused on do-it-yourself and renovation-related shopping, a category generally served through large stores carrying building materials, tools, hardware, garden products, and household improvement merchandise. The company's first operating phase was in France. By 2001 it had seven French stores, but the domestic network was then dismantled: six stores were sold to Bricorama and the remaining store was closed. This ended Bricostore's French retail operation and shifted the practical center of the brand's activity to foreign markets. International expansion had begun before the French withdrawal. Bricostore opened its first Hungarian store in 1999 and ultimately built a nine-store network. The Hungarian business was closed in 2012. The former stores were subsequently sold or otherwise transferred to different operators; OBI acquired three of them. The Hungarian episode illustrates that Bricostore's market presence was often represented by individual store assets rather than by a continuing, unified international chain. Romania became the brand's largest network. The first Romanian store opened in March 2002, and the business expanded to 15 stores by March 2011. In April 2013, Kingfisher, the British home-improvement group, bought the Romanian Bricostore stores for €75 million. Kingfisher converted the acquired locations to its Brico Dépôt banner, bringing the Bricostore name's Romanian use to an end. Bricostore entered Croatia in 2004 and later operated three stores there. The Croatian stores closed in 2013. Two sites, in Kaštel Sućurac and Zagreb, were rebranded as Pevex stores, while the Pula site was rebranded as Bauhaus. Taken together, the record shows a brand that expanded from France into Central and Eastern Europe but ultimately disappeared through separate market exits. The French stores went to Bricorama or closed, the Hungarian locations were sold or transferred, the Romanian network was acquired and converted by Kingfisher, and the Croatian sites were rebranded by other home-improvement retailers. No operating Bricostore network is identified in the cited reference, so the brand is classified as defunct.

• 2013

  Romanian stores are acquired by Kingfisher

  [1]Bricostoreen.wikipedia.org

  Kingfisher purchases the Romanian Bricostore stores for €75 million and rebrands them as Brico Dépôt.

• 2013

  Croatian stores are rebranded

  [1]Bricostoreen.wikipedia.org

  The Croatian stores close; two become Pevex locations and one becomes a Bauhaus location.

• 2012

  Hungarian stores close

  [1]Bricostoreen.wikipedia.org

  Bricostore ends its Hungarian operation; the stores are subsequently sold or transferred to other retailers and companies.

• 2011

  Romanian network reaches 15 stores

  [1]Bricostoreen.wikipedia.org

  The Romanian operation reaches 15 stores by March 2011.

• 2004

  Entry into Croatia

  [1]Bricostoreen.wikipedia.org

  Bricostore opens its first Croatian store and later operates three stores in the country.

• 2002

  First Romanian store opens

  [1]Bricostoreen.wikipedia.org

  Bricostore opens its first Romanian location in March, beginning the expansion of its largest national network.

• 2001

  French network is dismantled

  [1]Bricostoreen.wikipedia.org

  Six of Bricostore's seven French stores are sold to Bricorama and the remaining store is closed.

• 1999

  Entry into Hungary

  [1]Bricostoreen.wikipedia.org

  Bricostore opens its first Hungarian store and later expands to nine locations in the country.

• 1991

  Bricostore is founded in France

  [1]Bricostoreen.wikipedia.org

  The Bresson family establishes Bricostore in Paris as a French home-improvement retailer.

Large-format home-improvement retail serving do-it-yourself customers and household renovation needs.

• Home improvement

  DIY and renovation supplies

  Bricostore's core retail offer consisted of products for household repair, renovation, and do-it-yourself projects. The cited material identifies the company as a home-improvement retailer but does not provide a detailed historical product catalogue.

• DIY retail

  Tools and hardware

  Tools and hardware formed part of the typical assortment associated with Bricostore's do-it-yourself store format. Specific brands, ranges, and product launch dates are not identified in the available reference.

• Home and garden retail

  Garden and household improvement products

  The large-format home-improvement format also served household and outdoor improvement needs, including garden-related merchandise. The available source does not enumerate specific flagship product lines.

• 2013

  Sell the Romanian network to KingfisherM&A

  Background

  Bricostore's Romanian business had expanded to 15 stores by March 2011.

  Action taken

  Kingfisher bought the Romanian stores in April 2013 for €75 million.

  Aftermath

  Kingfisher rebranded the acquired locations as Brico Dépôt, ending Bricostore's Romanian brand presence.

  Acquisition price. €75 million (April 2013)

  Source

• 2013

  Exit the Croatian market through store rebrandingStrategy

  Background

  Bricostore had operated three Croatian stores after entering the country in 2004.

  Action taken

  The Croatian stores closed; two locations were rebranded as Pevex and one as Bauhaus.

  Aftermath

  Bricostore no longer operated stores in Croatia.

  Source

• 2012

  Exit the Hungarian marketStrategy

  Background

  Bricostore had built a nine-store Hungarian network after entering the market in 1999.

  Action taken

  The Hungarian stores were closed and subsequently sold or transferred to other retailers and companies.

  Aftermath

  OBI acquired three of the former locations, while Bricostore ceased operating in Hungary.

  Source

• 2001

  Sell six French stores to BricoramaM&A

  Background

  Bricostore operated seven stores in France but reduced its domestic presence in 2001.

  Action taken

  Six French stores were sold to Bricorama and the remaining store was closed.

  Aftermath

  The transaction ended Bricostore's French store network.

  Source

1. 1Bricostoreen.wikipedia.org