HOMEWORKS, the home improvement retail chain, a part of the Central Retail Corporation, opened a billion baht branch in Phuket last month.
The retail outlet, opposite Central Festival on Chalermprakiat Ror Kao, covers a total of 27 rai (or 26,000 square metres), and includes more than 1000 car parking spaces, making it the largest stand-alone store
in Phuket.
HomeWorks currently operates out of seven main branches throughout Thailand, but the all-new Phuket based venture is expected to set new standards in customer turnover.
An estimated 100,000 customers are expected to use the complex each month.
HomeWorks predicts that 70 per cent of their customers will be home owners, while the remaining 30 per cent will be sub-contractors and builders.
The company is also expecting 70 per cent of their customers to be tourists or expats, and 30 per cent Thais.
Pong Skuntanaga, Vice President, CRC Power Retail Company Limited, a company affiliated with Central Retail, said the new centre would combine more than 100 home-product retail shops, including PowerBuy, Supersports, Modern Form and True Value.
These shops will cater for the needs of families in Phuket by providing high-quality products, service, repair and home improvement needs, all in the one location.”
Mr Skuntanaga said the property industry in the south of Thailand and Phuket was growing at a great rate.
“This creates a need for home improvement services,” he said.
Products available will range from construction materials and carpenter’s tools, to kitchen and bathroom fittings, electrical appliances, bedroom furnishings and home decorating items.
The service includes free deliveries, installation programmes, design consultants, made to order furniture, as well as a 14 day product return policy
The new complex is divided into two floors, with the ground floor housing the ‘Value’ store which offers a selection of leading brand name products, from BBQ’s to car and marine care items.
Modern Form, on the lower floor also has a vast range of home, office and garden furniture.
Other outlets include Starbucks, KFC, Geo Kitchenware, bookshops and banks.
The top floor will be the place to buy entertainment products, such as home theatre surround systems, plasma screen TV’s and audio equipment as well as kitchen appliances, washing machines and air conditioning units.
Thailand’s leading sports store, Supersports, has opened its first concept store in Phuket, called, ‘Work Out’, which tries to provide an environment where customers feel inspired to work out at home.
Mr Skuntanaga said there would be plenty of opening specials during November, including discounts of up to 80 per cent on some items.
The ‘crazy prices’ during the first month would also include lots of special offers, and customers who spent more than 25,000 baht, would be in the running to win a Mamura BBQ worth 1490 baht.
Customers who spent 300,00 baht would win a free Samsung 32” LCD TV and a DVDplayer worth 26,780 baht.