Focus the DIY chain with 178 stores has gone into administration. The chances of them being brought out of administration as a going concern are negligible I would imagine. They are simply too small to be able to compete with B&Q & Homebase. Frankly Wickes really appears to struggle to keep up as our third biggest DIY chain, and their stores are generally miserable affairs against the size and colour of a large B&Q. It is of course sad to see the demise of any retailer and the personal difficulties that it will mean for many employees, however it is an inevitable part of competition and it the current economic climate the weak are struggling – this year alone Oddbins, British Bookshop and Stationers & Allworths have folded & for sure there will be more before the year is out.
What is of note though is that as true as competition will lead to the demise of some retailers it will also allow others to flourish. I will never forget the media commentary at the time of Woolworths bankruptcy proclaiming the death of the variety store and how the format was no longer relevant in today’s society. What rubbish... Who was the retailer that bought all of MFIs stock when they closed their doors? And is now talking of taking on Focus’ stock and stores? Small independent chain The Range. They are, you might have guessed, a very flourishing variety store...
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