The Crazy Store takes on BotswanaSouth African discount retail chain, The Crazy Store, has expanded its footprint into neighbouring Botswana, opening an outlet in the expanding Gaborone suburb of Phakalane. "Botswana is known as a country that offers international retailers with diverse options for retail expansion due to their strong economic growth and a stable middle class. It makes sense that in a country that has a developing shopping culture, The Crazy Store should be present," commented Kevin Lennett, managing director at The Crazy Store. The retailer has shown impressive growth since its inception in 1995 – then known as the R10 Store – and now boasts over 300 outlets, including 11 in Namibia. Core product categories range from gifts to toys, outdoor gear, personal care and gardening. And as consumers increasingly seek to stretch their bucks, The Crazy Store is likely to appeal to an even larger customer base. In the spirit of AfricaMonth, Lennett chatted to us about the brand's steady expansion and the opportunities and challenges it faces as a retailer in sub-Saharan Africa. Kevin Lennett
We are very satisfied with our performance across both South Africa and Namibia. Awareness of our brand and our stores has shown phenomenal growth across the LSM group’s 6-10. We are pleased to see that customers are shopping multiple times per month with us, and really seem to be enjoying the new ranges we are constantly introducing. Both our established and new stores are trading well, and we are achieving strong double-digit growth.
As a starting point, The Crazy Store does not have a direct competitor. So our first differential is that we provide a wide range of products from daily use items to novelty to party to toys to books to kitchenware and so on – all under one roof. Secondly, we introduce a high number of new lines throughout the year. Thirdly we have placed a high premium on quality and stand by our products. |