London, Ont. – Hardware and building materials distribution company Chalifour Canada is constructing a Retail Development Centre (RDC), a fully merchandised retail store environment, within its existing London, Ont. distribution facility in order to better display its product selection to potential customers. The completed RDC is expected to be in place by the end of the second quarter of this year.
According to the company, Chalifour’s merchandising team, category managers and vendors will work together at the RDC to create new retail concepts to help its dealers better merchandise products within their stores. Once completed, dealers will be able to tour the 8,500-sq.-ft. model store and see how these new merchandising concepts and programs are integrated into an actual store environment. The RDC will also test planogram strategies, complete with in-store signage, full shelving and a checkout counter.
In addition, Chalifour’s RDC team will also utilize the talents of students enrolled in the retail training programs of local community colleges. The model store will also be used to host consumer focus groups testing the effectiveness of various retail concepts.
Chalifour Canada is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Calgary-based TIM-BR MARTS Ltd. buying group. In October of 2010, TIM-BR MARTS acquired the CanWel Hardware distribution division from CanWel Building Materials Group Ltd. CanWel Hardware was subsequently renamed Chalifour Canada. Chalifour Canada distributes hardware, lumber and building materials to independent home improvement dealers across Canada from distribution facilities in B.C, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec.