The Resident regrets to inform its readers that, due to a miscommunication problem, the opening date for the Leroy Merlin superstore in Guia, which was printed in this week’s edition of The Resident, is incorrect. We have now been informed by the Group that the store is only due to open on Monday, July 3. The Resident apologises to its readers for the inconvenience this may have caused them.
The largest DIY superstore to hit the Algarve, Leroy Merlin, opened its door on Thursday (June 29). Located opposite Algarve Shopping, in Guia, next to Makro, Leroy Merlin’s central location in the Algarve enables it to target the entire region, reports The Resident’s Natasha Smith.
Leroy Merlin is a French company selling construction, decoration and garden items, and general do-it-yourself implements. It has been established since 1923, when it was named Adolphe Leroy and Rose Merlin, after the founders, changing to the name that it is known by today in 1960.
Initially, Leroy Merlin sold American surplus stock and it was the first company to offer a free delivery service, which many of us are so thankful for today. The company first came to Iberia in 1989, setting up a store in Spain, and now there are 28 superstores nationwide. It was only in 2003 that Leroy Merlin first opened in Portugal (Gondomar), but the company already plans to open at least a further eight stores in the next eight years.
With three well established and successful superstores throughout Portugal (Gondomar, Sintra and Almada), Europe’s second largest DIY company felt that there was a lack of DIY product provision in the south of the country. This was one of their main reasons for development in the Algarve and it will certainly benefit the regional community, as each store usually creates 150 jobs. The company also prides itself in buying local products, as well as national and international ones.
Leroy Merlin, in Guia, has an area of 10,000sqm and houses more than 40,000 items. An extensive gardening section, with an entire range of accessories, has been created to meet the large demand in this lush region. The store has ample parking spaces, so that is one less thing to worry about when you visit the store to choose a colour of paint for your bedroom walls or the perfect plants to landscape your garden.
To inaugurate the store, Leroy Merlin’s first promotion is on air conditioning units for the Algarve’s hot temperatures.
The Leroy Merlin Group says it is “committed to improving homes and their surrounding environment, providing complementary solutions to their clients’ needs”. The store is not only equipped to satisfy the needs of construction companies, but also the part-time handyman. Leroy Merlin also offers a price guarantee where, if you find the same product cheaper elsewhere, it will give you double the difference.
The company has clearly considered how to approach this new market and, so far, it has been successful, offering products of interest to people living in the Algarve.
The opening times are Monday to Saturday, from 9am to 10pm, and Sunday from 9am to 1pm. For more information about the products available at Leroy Merlin, contact 289 560 500 or visit www.leroymerlin.com
