FYI
------------------------------------------
Swedish DIY retailer to roll out in UK
Clas Ohlson, one of Scandinavia's best known diy and homewares retailers is
to open in the UK this year.

And, in a demonstration of the Swedish company's commitment to the UK market
it appointed a UK managing director earlier this week, ex-Argos man Mark
Gregory.

The chain, which specialises in housewares, power tools, hand tools, leisure
and electrical items, operates almost 90 stores in Scandinavia with another
13 openings currently in the pipeline. It has a product offering which
exceeds 15,000 lines.

It plans top open up to four stores this financial year, with work on the
first, a 20,000sq ft site in Croydon's Whitgift shopping centre, underway.
------------------------------------------

So there you go.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On 2008-07-04 23:25:25 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

FYI
------------------------------------------
Swedish DIY retailer to roll out in UK
Clas Ohlson, one of Scandinavia's best known diy and homewares retailers is
to open in the UK this year.

And, in a demonstration of the Swedish company's commitment to the UK market
it appointed a UK managing director earlier this week, ex-Argos man Mark
Gregory.

The chain, which specialises in housewares, power tools, hand tools, leisure
and electrical items, operates almost 90 stores in Scandinavia with another
13 openings currently in the pipeline. It has a product offering which
exceeds 15,000 lines.

It plans top open up to four stores this financial year, with work on the
first, a 20,000sq ft site in Croydon's Whitgift shopping centre, underway.
------------------------------------------

So there you go.

Don't get excited. I've been to one. It's a weird place. They have
a mixture of hardware in small packets, a few tools, craft stuff like
clock faces and hands, flags, range of own brand Chinese tools,
assorted seasonal goods.

It reminded me most of Focus - tries to do a lot of things, but none of
them very well.

I think they\ll struggle here because there's nothing than they have
that's compelling. For all its faults, at least IKEA has some things
that are not seen elsewhere and a different business model. I suppose
that having someone from Argos will be a good fit for an attempt at
volume retailing. Perhaps they will develop their internet trading.

On Fri, 4 Jul 2008 23:54:06 +0100, Andy Hall wrote:

On 2008-07-04 23:25:25 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

FYI
------------------------------------------
Swedish DIY retailer to roll out in UK
Clas Ohlson, one of Scandinavia's best known diy and homewares retailers is
to open in the UK this year.

And, in a demonstration of the Swedish company's commitment to the UK market
it appointed a UK managing director earlier this week, ex-Argos man Mark
Gregory.

The chain, which specialises in housewares, power tools, hand tools, leisure
and electrical items, operates almost 90 stores in Scandinavia with another
13 openings currently in the pipeline. It has a product offering which
exceeds 15,000 lines.

It plans top open up to four stores this financial year, with work on the
first, a 20,000sq ft site in Croydon's Whitgift shopping centre, underway.
------------------------------------------

So there you go.

Don't get excited. I've been to one. It's a weird place. They have
a mixture of hardware in small packets, a few tools, craft stuff like
clock faces and hands, flags, range of own brand Chinese tools,
assorted seasonal goods.

It reminded me most of Focus - tries to do a lot of things, but none of
them very well.

I think they\ll struggle here because there's nothing than they have
that's compelling. For all its faults, at least IKEA has some things
that are not seen elsewhere and a different business model. I suppose
that having someone from Argos will be a good fit for an attempt at
volume retailing. Perhaps they will develop their internet trading.

Bit like 'Poundland' then, but with a bigger markup. ;-)

Don

On 2008-07-05 06:52:31 +0100, "Cerberus ." said:

Don't get excited. I've been to one. It's a weird place. They have
a mixture of hardware in small packets, a few tools, craft stuff like
clock faces and hands, flags, range of own brand Chinese tools,
assorted seasonal goods.

It reminded me most of Focus - tries to do a lot of things, but none of
them very well.

I think they\ll struggle here because there's nothing than they have
that's compelling. For all its faults, at least IKEA has some things
that are not seen elsewhere and a different business model. I suppose
that having someone from Argos will be a good fit for an attempt at
volume retailing. Perhaps they will develop their internet trading.

Bit like 'Poundland' then, but with a bigger markup. ;-)

Don

I don't know - never been to a Poundland. The Clas Ohlson prices
didn't seem particuarly cheap, but then that has to be put into context
- Swedish prices aren't relative to elsewhere.

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2008-07-04 23:25:25 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

FYI
------------------------------------------
Swedish DIY retailer to roll out in UK
Clas Ohlson, one of Scandinavia's best known diy and homewares
retailers is to open in the UK this year.

And, in a demonstration of the Swedish company's commitment to the
UK market it appointed a UK managing director earlier this week,
ex-Argos man Mark Gregory.

The chain, which specialises in housewares, power tools, hand tools,
leisure and electrical items, operates almost 90 stores in
Scandinavia with another 13 openings currently in the pipeline. It
has a product offering which exceeds 15,000 lines.

It plans top open up to four stores this financial year, with work
on the first, a 20,000sq ft site in Croydon's Whitgift shopping
centre, underway. ------------------------------------------

So there you go.

Don't get excited. I've been to one. It's a weird place. They have
a mixture of hardware in small packets, a few tools, craft stuff like
clock faces and hands, flags, range of own brand Chinese tools,
assorted seasonal goods.

Bit like these people, they keep sending me catalogues
http://www2.westfalia.net/?vbSESSID=...8d8d088b357551


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On 05/07/2008 09:06, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Bit like these people, they keep sending me catalogues
http://www2.westfalia.net/?vbSESSID=...8d8d088b357551

http://www2.westfalia.net/shops/heal...t_of_boxes.htm

On 2008-07-05 09:06:06 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2008-07-04 23:25:25 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

FYI
------------------------------------------
Swedish DIY retailer to roll out in UK
Clas Ohlson, one of Scandinavia's best known diy and homewares
retailers is to open in the UK this year.

And, in a demonstration of the Swedish company's commitment to the
UK market it appointed a UK managing director earlier this week,
ex-Argos man Mark Gregory.

The chain, which specialises in housewares, power tools, hand tools,
leisure and electrical items, operates almost 90 stores in
Scandinavia with another 13 openings currently in the pipeline. It
has a product offering which exceeds 15,000 lines.

It plans top open up to four stores this financial year, with work
on the first, a 20,000sq ft site in Croydon's Whitgift shopping
centre, underway. ------------------------------------------

So there you go.

Don't get excited. I've been to one. It's a weird place. They have
a mixture of hardware in small packets, a few tools, craft stuff like
clock faces and hands, flags, range of own brand Chinese tools,
assorted seasonal goods.

Bit like these people, they keep sending me catalogues
http://www2.westfalia.net/?vbSESSID=...8d8d088b357551

Yes. Quite similar. There's a similar quite large range of things
like useless kitchen gadgets that don't cost a huge amount and so
people will pick them up while passing the rack.

On 2008-07-05 09:37:53 +0100, Andy Burns
said:

On 05/07/2008 09:06, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Bit like these people, they keep sending me catalogues
http://www2.westfalia.net/?vbSESSID=...8d8d088b357551

http://www2.westfalia.net/shops/heal...t_of_boxes.htm

Some

of our readers may find the parts washing appliance on the farming page
useful as well

http://www2.westfalia.net/shops/farmshop

although I'm slightly concerned about it needing detergents with a
flash point of 65 degrees.

In article ,
The Medway Handyman wrote:
It plans top open up to four stores this financial year, with work on
the first, a 20,000sq ft site in Croydon's Whitgift shopping centre,
underway.

Doubt I'll go then. DIY stores usually involve going by car to carry
things. And the centre of Croydon is extremely car unfriendly as well as a
pain to actually get there. I use the tram if I really must go there for
things which can be carried easily.

They'd have been far better to locate nearish Ikea - like Screwfix.

--
*Who are these kids and why are they calling me Mom?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 2008-07-05 10:26:03 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
said:

In article ,
The Medway Handyman wrote:
It plans top open up to four stores this financial year, with work on
the first, a 20,000sq ft site in Croydon's Whitgift shopping centre,
underway.

Doubt I'll go then. DIY stores usually involve going by car to carry
things. And the centre of Croydon is extremely car unfriendly as well as a
pain to actually get there. I use the tram if I really must go there for
things which can be carried easily.

They'd have been far better to locate nearish Ikea - like Screwfix.

Except that this isn't really a DIY store in the sense of the typical
UK chain. For example, in Stockholm there is one in Gallerian
(http://www.gallerian.se/Butiker.aspx) which is a mid market indoor
shopping mall. I don't recall seeing timber and sheet materials in
there.

Mind you, BHV in Rivoli in Paris does have all the DIY stuff and I have
seen people taking 1220 square sheets of material onto the metro, the
station for which is located near the exit and on the same level.

Clas Ohlson is one of those places which looks all very good in theory
and appears to have a huge stock range (and does), but where a DIYer
would probably go in and come out again not having found much of what
he went in for.

"Andy Hall" wrote in message news:486f38aa@qaanaaq...
On 2008-07-05 09:06:06 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2008-07-04 23:25:25 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

FYI
------------------------------------------
Swedish DIY retailer to roll out in UK
Clas Ohlson, one of Scandinavia's best known diy and homewares
retailers is to open in the UK this year.

And, in a demonstration of the Swedish company's commitment to the
UK market it appointed a UK managing director earlier this week,
ex-Argos man Mark Gregory.

The chain, which specialises in housewares, power tools, hand tools,
leisure and electrical items, operates almost 90 stores in
Scandinavia with another 13 openings currently in the pipeline. It
has a product offering which exceeds 15,000 lines.

It plans top open up to four stores this financial year, with work
on the first, a 20,000sq ft site in Croydon's Whitgift shopping
centre, underway. ------------------------------------------

So there you go.

Don't get excited. I've been to one. It's a weird place. They have
a mixture of hardware in small packets, a few tools, craft stuff like
clock faces and hands, flags, range of own brand Chinese tools,
assorted seasonal goods.

Bit like these people, they keep sending me catalogues
http://www2.westfalia.net/?vbSESSID=...8d8d088b357551

Yes. Quite similar. There's a similar quite large range of things like
useless kitchen gadgets that don't cost a huge amount and so people will
pick them up while passing the rack.

I can understand people just picking these things up from a market stall as
they pass by, or even going into a 'specialist' cheap store in the town
centre for 5 minutes when they are out shopping anyway, but buying it "mail
order"!!!!!?

tim

On 2008-07-05 13:18:18 +0100, "tim....." said:

I can understand people just picking these things up from a market stall as
they pass by, or even going into a 'specialist' cheap store in the town
centre for 5 minutes when they are out shopping anyway, but buying it "mail
order"!!!!!?

tim

Keep in mind that away from the cities and larger towns, Sweden has a
pretty low population density and the time taken to get from A to B can
be lengthy - even more so in Norway.

"Andy Hall" wrote in message news:486f6eb2@qaanaaq...
On 2008-07-05 13:18:18 +0100, "tim....." said:

I can understand people just picking these things up from a market stall
as
they pass by, or even going into a 'specialist' cheap store in the town
centre for 5 minutes when they are out shopping anyway, but buying it
"mail
order"!!!!!?

tim

Keep in mind that away from the cities and larger towns, Sweden has a
pretty low population density and the time taken to get from A to B can be
lengthy - even more so in Norway.

I was actually referring to the link from Dave? about the mail order
brochure he had received in the UK.

But even in Scandinavia, I can't understand why someone would buy cheap tat
that they don't really need, by mail order.

tim

On Sat, 05 Jul 2008 13:18:18 +0100, tim..... wrote:

I can understand people just picking these things up from a market stall
as they pass by, or even going into a 'specialist' cheap store in the
town centre for 5 minutes when they are out shopping anyway, but buying
it "mail order"!!!!!?


Speaking for myself, I hate going into town and don't often find myself
in a market, so buying online is much simpler and more pleasant for me.

And what the hell, I like to see what new gadgets people have thought up.
maybe one in a thousand is actually useful, too!

On 2008-07-05 14:34:07 +0100, "tim....." said:


"Andy Hall" wrote in message news:486f6eb2@qaanaaq...
On 2008-07-05 13:18:18 +0100, "tim....." said:

I can understand people just picking these things up from a market stall
as
they pass by, or even going into a 'specialist' cheap store in the town
centre for 5 minutes when they are out shopping anyway, but buying it
"mail
order"!!!!!?

tim

Keep in mind that away from the cities and larger towns, Sweden has a
pretty low population density and the time taken to get from A to B can be
lengthy - even more so in Norway.

I was actually referring to the link from Dave? about the mail order
brochure he had received in the UK.

But even in Scandinavia, I can't understand why someone would buy cheap tat
that they don't really need, by mail order.

tim

Personally I don't understand why people would buy cheap tat, period,
but that's something else.

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2008-07-05 14:34:07 +0100, "tim....." said:


"Andy Hall" wrote in message news:486f6eb2@qaanaaq...
On 2008-07-05 13:18:18 +0100, "tim....."
said:

I can understand people just picking these things up from a market
stall
as
they pass by, or even going into a 'specialist' cheap store in the town
centre for 5 minutes when they are out shopping anyway, but buying it
"mail
order"!!!!!?

tim

Keep in mind that away from the cities and larger towns, Sweden has a
pretty low population density and the time taken to get from A to B
can be
lengthy - even more so in Norway.

I was actually referring to the link from Dave? about the mail order
brochure he had received in the UK.

But even in Scandinavia, I can't understand why someone would buy
cheap tat
that they don't really need, by mail order.

tim

Personally I don't understand why people would buy cheap tat, period,
but that's something else.



I just bought a kite in Tesco for £1. It flies beautifully

On 2008-07-05 17:12:49 +0100, stuart noble said:

I just bought a kite in Tesco for £1. It flies beautifully

That's nice.

I wonder if they look at the weather forecast.

In message 486f392d@qaanaaq, Andy Hall writes
On 2008-07-05 09:37:53 +0100, Andy Burns
said:

On 05/07/2008 09:06, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Bit like these people, they keep sending me catalogues
http://www2.westfalia.net/?vbSESSID=...8d8d088b357551

http://www2.westfalia.net/shops/heal...on_area_/rheum
atism___arthritis___arthrosis___joint/460291-56pc_set_of_boxes.htm

Some

of our readers may find the parts washing appliance on the farming page
useful as well

http://www2.westfalia.net/shops/farmshop

although I'm slightly concerned about it needing detergents with a
flash point of 65 degrees.

Well, I've got one of those filled with paraffin, it hasn't exploded in
the last 10 years

--
geoff

In message , tim.....
writes

"Andy Hall" wrote in message news:486f6eb2@qaanaaq...
On 2008-07-05 13:18:18 +0100, "tim....." said:

I can understand people just picking these things up from a market stall
as
they pass by, or even going into a 'specialist' cheap store in the town
centre for 5 minutes when they are out shopping anyway, but buying it
"mail
order"!!!!!?

tim

Keep in mind that away from the cities and larger towns, Sweden has a
pretty low population density and the time taken to get from A to B can be
lengthy - even more so in Norway.

I was actually referring to the link from Dave? about the mail order
brochure he had received in the UK.

But even in Scandinavia, I can't understand why someone would buy cheap tat
that they don't really need, by mail order.

boredom ?

"Shall I order some tat or watch the grass grow?"

had call


--
geoff