Leroy Merlin Store Will Be Opened in Smolensk in Q3 2020

This was announced during the visit of Governor Alexey Ostrovsky to the building site of the future Leroy Merlin store in the Zadneprovsky urban district of Smolensk.

Leroy Merlin is an international retailer founded in 1923, which has taken the lead in construction supplies market of Russia, Italy, Spain, Brazil and France. The company currently owns over 300 stores in 10 countries worldwide (96 stores are operating in 54 cities of Russia). According to Forbes, the company is one of the top 10 largest foreign-owned companies in Russia.

The new shopping centre which is under construction in Smolensk, represents a classical Leroy Merlin store which occupies the total area of 10-15 thousand square metres and offers a range of 30-40 thousand product items. The strategic focus is laid on paints and varnishes, wallpaper, front and interior doors, ceramic tiles, laminate, parquet and parquet plank, linoleum, sanitary ware and accessories, kitchen furniture and utensils, garden products.

The store will be equipped with a car park for over 600 parking lots and an outdoor recreational area, and provides convenient navigation, cafes with free Wi-Fi connection and an online shop with pick-up points for the customers’ convenience. The shopping centre will be able to receive not less than 10 thousand visitors a day.

The surrounding area will have a green space with a fountain, crossed by the central alley with parkways and benches. The store will consist of a sales area, storage premises, a sawing shop, an office area, a staff canteen, a fitness room, a meeting room, a training room, a goods issue office, cleaning and amenity premises.

The total amount of investments in the project is expected to reach nearly 1.4 billion rubles. The first Leroy Merlin store will bring more than 150 new jobs.

According to Deputy CEO of Monolitstroy-Plus LLC Sergey Nikonov, construction of the future store is performed as scheduled. At present steel structures are being erected; the work is to be completed by the end of December. Commissioning is scheduled for Q3 next year. Prospects for cooperation and employment of the regional residents were also discussed during the meeting of Governor Alexey Ostrovsky and Business Development Director of Leroy Merlin Vostok LLC Elizaveta Lisyukova. As noted by Deputy Head of Investment Development Department Stanislav Kulazhnikov, "the local producers are already involved in the project", as construction materials are purchased exclusively in the Smolensk Region. Besides, some regional manufacturers are able and going to supply products to the Leroy Merlin store for further sale.