Mr. DIY Thailand to add more stores than initially planned

The Thai operation of Malaysian home improvement chain Mr. DIY has revised its store expansion target upwards after it opened its 500th store in the country last month. Mr. DIY Thailand chief executive Andy Chin disclosed in a statement that the retailer is now eyeing 150 new stores this year to bring the total count to 550 by the end of the year (from 400 at the end of 2021). This is a higher target than Mr. DIY's earlier plan, announced last February, to open 124 stores in Thailand this year to expand its network in the country to 524.

“This positive growth will enable us to create over 2 500 new employment opportunities for the people of Thailand,” said Chin. The official said the store network would allow Mr. DIY to serve 50 million customers in the country, where the Malaysian retailer is the leading home improvement brand.

The company’s 500th store is located at the Bangkapi outlet of Thai retail chain Lotus and is the retailer’s 86th store within a Lotus outlet. Chin said Mr. DIY will open four more Lotus-based stores during the rest of the year, bringing the total to 90.

Thailand is Mr. DIY's second-biggest market in terms of penetration after home turf Malaysia, where it has over 900 branches. The Thai stores have 800 to 1 100 m² of retail space selling up to 18 000 types of products across ten categories: hardware, household, electrical, car accessories, furnishing, stationery and sports, toys, gifts, computer and mobile phone accessories, and jewellery and cosmetics.

- By Jennee Grace U Rubrico