Weldom, a player that boosts the activity of cities and towns

In 2018, Weldom bought a hardware store in Rabastens-de-Bigorre, a town of 1,500 inhabitants in the Hautes-Pyrénées (French district), which had been owned by the same family for several generations – a family that also owned another business in Vic-en-Bigorre, which was also bought by Weldom. Initially opened under the brand name Mon Brico, the store was warmly welcomed by the town hall, which saw it as a way to boost the village’s commercial activity. “In fact, we are a point of attraction for the whole town”, explains Xavier Derré, the store manager. Many customers come from Tarbes to look for products and solutions to improve their homes, rather than having to go to Pau.

Proximity above all

The new concept, deployed in October 2021, also plays a big part in the store’s attraction: “It’s much better designed, we have a real reception area to offer coffee to customers. In fact, we have become a space where customers don’t just come to buy and leave”. And there is no doubt the formula works, with a 15% increase in traffic. Xavier Derré, who previously ran Weldom stores in Guyana and Normandy, says: “Whatever the territory, what counts is to be close to our customers, to talk to them, to be at their disposal. And to stimulate greater ties, the store will offer VIP evenings three to four times a year. That’s proximity! And even more so with the support of the village’s sports teams or an involvement in the merchants’ association. “Between small retailers and large stores, we work together to make the village more vibrant. And it is our role to contribute to maintaining and developing employment in rural areas”. Thus, the store’s team is made up of the employees of the former hardware store who have been joined by three new colleagues to provide the best service to inhabitants. ADEO places people at the heart of its commitments and the Weldom store in Rabastens-de-Bigorre is a fine example of this.