Rona begins construction of new 15,000 sq. ft. Saint-Raymond de Portneuf, Quebec, retail store, expects to open in December, replacing existing store in city

Lorena Madrigal

BOUCHERVILLE, Quebec , August 23, 2011 (press release) – RONA inc. (TSX: RON, RON.PR.A), the largest Canadian distributor and retailer of hardware, renovation and gardening products, today broke ground on a brand new RONA store in Saint-Raymond de Portneuf, Quebec. The current store, located at 746 rue Saint-Joseph, will remain in operation until the new building opens.

The 15,000-square-foot retail outlet, located at 130 rue Grande Ligne, Saint-Raymond, is expected to open in December of this year and will be owned by Paulin Moisan, a businessman with 49 years of experience, and by his children Sophie, Lise, François, Bernard and Denis. Over the years, the four siblings have joined their father to build a family-run business where top-notch customer service is the rule.

“Above all, we wish to diversify the selection of products and services we offer to customers,” said Sophie Moisan, co-owner of the future store. “The public is looking for a wide range of new products, general as well as specialized, under the same roof, and that’s exactly what we’ll give them,” Ms. Moisan added.

The project, which required an investment of $2.8 million to double its floor area, includes a 15,000- square-foot covered warehouse with car service. The store will offer a selection of about 30,000 different products, including paints, hardware, electrical supplies, plumbing, tools, lighting, floor coverings, bathrooms and seasonal items. Among the product categories, customers will find mouldings, housewares and storage solutions. The new Saint-Raymond store will also provide a number of services, such as propane sales and special orders, a counter dedicated to commercial sales and contractors, as well as financing through the RONAdvantages program.

Ambiance boutique
Customers are also going to appreciate the Ambiance boutique, a space where they can find inspiration, along with everything they need to make their plans a reality. Three interior decoration experts will be on hand to offer advice and propose solutions for home design projects using, among others, a colour software program that can accurately create specific colours. The Ambiance boutique promises to satisfy the needs of beginners as well as professional designers and painters.

Ground-breaking ceremony
The Moisan family broke ground on the project in the presence of Fernand Lirette, pro-mayor of Saint-Raymond, Michel Matte, Deputy for Portneuf (MNA), Alain Vandal, RONA’s Regional Operations Manager and Gérald Blouin, RONA’s Director, Market Development for Eastern Quebec.

About RONA
RONA is the largest Canadian distributor and retailer of hardware, home renovation and gardening products. RONA operates a network of more than 950 corporate, franchise and affiliate stores of various sizes and formats. With close to 30,000 employees working under its family of banners in every region of Canada and more than 17 million square feet of retail space, the RONA store network generates over $6 billion in annual retail sales. For more information, please visit rona.ca.

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