BauMax: Land prices here are similar to those in Austria

The Austrian home improvement chain BauMax will invest some 80 million euros in opening 8 stores by the end of next year. On average, the company has opened five stores per year, which could take it into the black in the medium run. “We have not thought in terms of ending the expansion of the Baumax network on the Romanian market in a specific year. Currently, we can say there is still enough room on the market for home improvement stores. We won’t stop at 8 stores,” Jorg Bierlein, general manager of BauMax Romania told ZF. The company will open its first store in Brasov, at the end of this month, followed by two more in Sibiu and Cluj-Napoca by the end of this year. BauMax owns the three plots of land on which the company will develop its new stores this year. “Land is expensive in Romania, prices are similar to those in Austria,” commented Bierlein. He said they were also considering locations in Bucharest, where they may open several stores. “One of them will be located in the South, as part of the Sun Plaza commercial project,” said Jorg Bierlein.