RONA welcomes a new dealer store in Debden, Saskatchewan
Demers Shopping Centre has chosen the RONA banner to enter a new phase of its development
Boucherville, QC – January 10, 2019 – RONA, a banner of Lowe’s Canada, is proud to welcome Demers Shopping Centre into its affiliated dealer network. Located at 201 Main Street in Debden, Saskatchewan, the store has been serving local customers since 1947. The business started as a cheese factory and grew to meet he needs of the local community by becoming a combined hardware and grocery store in the 1980s. This family-owned business is now entering a new phase of its development by converting to the RONA banner. In the spring, the grocery portion of the business will move to a brand-new building next to the existing location, and the store’s entire floor space will be remodelled to support the hardware business.
“With this renovation, we will more than double our hardware retail area to bring in new product categories and a wider assortment, which will allow us to better serve our customers and provide local DIYers and contractors with an enhanced offering,” explained Dean Demers who, along with his wife Leah, are the third generation at the helm of this family business. “The RONA team has been very eager to work with us to help bring more value to the community. They’ve been incredibly supportive throughout this transition. We are thrilled to count on RONA’s solid retail expertise for this exciting growth project.”
“We are very happy to be partnering with dedicated entrepreneurs like the Demers, who are committed to both their business and their community,” said Philippe Element, Vice-President, RONA & Ace, Sales and Dealer Support. “Mr. and Mrs. Demers are involved with local organizations and are always looking for ways to better serve their customers and bring value to the community. We are delighted to welcome them into our network and look forward to working with them to help grow their business.”
The remodelled RONA Demers store will feature more than 10,000 sq. ft. of retail area as well as an outdoor lumber yard to provide local builders and DIYers with the materials needed to complete renovation and construction projects. Inside, customers can expect to find a new appliances department, a selection of CRAFTSMAN® tools as well as a new contractor offering. Plans also include the addition of a brand-new outdoor lumber yard and online shopping will be introduced through a “buy online, pick up in store” service later in the year.
“The store will remain open during the remodelling process, and customers can expect the same level of service from our team during that time. We will take every measure to minimize the impact of the work on the shopping experience,” added Mr. Demers.
Overall, the store remodel will represent a local investment of approximately $200,000. Once completed, six to eight new jobs will be created to staff the store and the lumber yard, nearly doubling the number of employees currently employed.
About RONA
Created in 1939, RONA is a banner of Lowe’s Canada, one of Canada’s leading home improvement companies headquartered in Boucherville, Quebec. Spanning the entire country, its vast network of more than 400 stores includes both corporate stores and independent affiliated dealer stores. Known for its large in-store and online product selection as well as for its installation services, RONA also provides expert support and advice to its retail and pro customers for their building and renovation projects. For more information, visit rona.ca or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
About Lowe’s Canada
Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company serving more than 18 million customers a week in the United States, Canada and Mexico. With fiscal year 2017 sales of $68.6 billion, Lowe’s and its related businesses operate or service more than 2,240 home improvement and hardware stores and employ over 310,000 people. Based in Boucherville, Quebec, Lowe’s Canadian business, together with its wholly owned subsidiary, RONA inc., operates or services more than 600 corporate and independent affiliate dealer stores in a number of complementary formats under different banners. These include Lowe’s, RONA, Réno-Dépôt, Ace, Dick’s Lumber and Contractor First. In Canada, the companies have more than 28,000 employees, in addition to approximately 5,000 employees in the stores of independent affiliate dealers operating under the RONA and Ace banners. For more information, visit lowescanada.ca.