05/10/2026

To deepen understanding of the Italian DIY and gardening market, the MADE4DIY consortium organized a store visit tour in collaboration with DCM Holdings Co., Ltd.—a leading Japanese home improvement retailer—with participants including Mr. Yoshiaki Matsuo of the Special Mission Office.

The store check allowed to visit outlets belonging to some of Italy’s leading retail chains. The tour took place on September 25th, following the two-day BRICODAY trade fair, and helped to improve the exchange of knowledge and partnership established with DCM Holdings Co., Ltd.

The first stop was the new Leroy Merlin store in Arese, the most significant outlet in the area northwest of Milan. Spanning over 10,000 square meters, the store features a new retail concept slated for rollout to other locations that prioritizes rapid purchasing, increased stock availability, and expanded services for professionals, such as a large construction materials section with a drive-through purchasing option. The store also includes a Garden & Outdoor section featuring a spacious, permanent showroom for garden furniture. Leroy Merlin is part of the Adeo Group and operates with 52 stores in Italy and has a turnover in Italy of around 1,9 € billion.

Next store to be visited was the Bricocenter store in Olgiate Olona. This location serves as a key DIY hub for the province of Varese, being easily accessible to local residents as well as travelers arriving via the motorway. The store covers an area of approximately 2,500 square meters dedicated to a vast product selection designed to meet the needs of all customers. The store has a strong range of plumbing supplies, hardware; furthermore is present an extensive area dedicated to home décor, textiles, and furnishings. Bricocenter is also part of the Adeo Group that has actually 48 "neighborhood" stores across Italy, situated in medium-sized urban areas and specific districts of major cities. The turnover of Bricocenter is actually around 350 € million.

The store visit stopped also in one of the most important garden center store of Milan AREA, CENTRO DEL VERDE TOPPI in Origgio (Varese). Founded in the 1930s, the center has expanded over the years to cover an area of approximately 30,000 square meters, comprising both nurseries and retail space organized into well-stocked, meticulously maintained themed sections. A distinctive feature of this garden center is an area dedicated to seasonal products; that always welcomes the customer at every time of the year. Actually the department features the Christmas theme that draws in large numbers of passionate customers. CENTRO DEL VERDE TOPPI has a turnover of around 4,5 € million and is part of the GRUPPO GIARDINIA, one of the major garden center chains in Italy, which operates with around 23 stores in Italy.