Hardware and Homeware supermarket ‘HOMEMART’ launches ‘HOMEMART mini’ convenience store concept at Orion City

Sri Lanka’s popular one-stop, general hardware and homeware supermarket, ‘HOMEMART’ expanded to Colombo’s IT hub, Orion City recently.

Powered by St. Anthony’s Hardware (Pvt) Ltd., ‘HOMEMART,’ the novel general hardware supermarket and homeware retailer has gained immense popularity since first opening its doors in Nawala in 2017, showcasing the largest selection of the nation’s most trusted brands at the most competitive prices. The new Orion City ‘HOMEMART mini’ convenience store will cater to over 10,000 employees who work in the complex.

The product and service offerings have been tailored to the needs of occupants of Orion City; with a large variety of stationery and electronics for any business requirement. This is in addition to HOMEMART’s extensive range of everyday homeware offerings from dining, kitchen and cookware, linen and bedding, plumbing and bathware, cleaning supplies, gardening, general electrical, small appliances, simple tools and hardware offerings. HOMEMART mini will also offer its Orion City patrons the option to purchase and pickup offerings available at its larger Hardware and Homeware supermarkets.

The new convenience store aims to respond quickly to feedback adding further range and value for its customers by stocking more products in the future.  The Orion City ‘HOMEMART mini’ store is located at the mall in the complex and open from 9am to 7pm. The outlet will soon be open to the public and for the convenience of all residents living in nearby areas.

“Orion City is a vibrant community of professionals with discerning tastes and limited free time to run errands. So by situating ourselves within the location where they spend the majority of their time and curating our selection to our patrons’ needs we hope to make home improvement, convenient.

Our mantra is, “work in progress”, as we are committed to continuous improvement; whether that be in expanding our range, offering complementary services, or developing our team’s knowledge to best service our customers. The ‘HOMEMART mini’ presented us with a unique challenge of stripping down our 17,000 sqft flagship hardware and homeware megamarket into a 650 sqft convenience store; and so we set ourselves with the task of researching the consumption behavior of the inhabitants within the campus, and curating our offerings to their requirement. Our products and services continuously evolve as our understanding of customer’s everyday needs develop.” said Praveen Gnanam, Executive Director of St. Anthony’s Hardware.

The ‘HOMEMART’ under-one-roof concept sought to fill the gap in the market whereby customers were previously inconvenienced by the task of going from shop to shop in hardware-specific bazaars and districts to find specific items, without the option of comparing offerings across brands and applications.  Open seven days a week, with delivery, pre-order or pick up at your place of employment; ‘HOMEMART mini’ is designed to create accessibility and convenience for busy professionals. One such convenience-focused offering would be the ability for customers to select paint colours, have them mixed and sent to their place of work, removing the hassle of running personal errands in their precious free time.

‘HOMEMART’ offers an unprecedented selection of over 10,000 hardware and homeware products, across hundreds of brands, in coordination with over 150 local and international suppliers, importing items from Japan, India, China, and the EU. High quality offerings manufactured or distributed by the St Anthony’s group of companies, including Tokyo Cement, Rhino Roofing, Anton PVC, Watertec polymers, Prince sinks, Atlas hand and power tools, Wangel bathroom and kitchen fittings, Kent and Pure Hydro water purifiers, are of course also available at the most competitive prices.

The company aims to improve and expand the retail store concept in other suburban areas in Colombo with an e-commerce platform also in the pipeline.

’HOMEMART’s loyalty point scheme is an ideal rewards programme for masons and presents a novel opportunity for those engaged in the trade to experience the product before purchasing them.

Commenting during the ceremonial opening of the store, St. Anthony’s Hardware Chairman, Mr. S.R. Gnanam said “From humble beginnings, our group developed the simple hardware concept to what it is today. Focusing on growth we began manufacturing products, and together with a strong network of dealers we have been able to develop the business over the years and are in process of consolidating our offerings.”