Flooring retailer Andersens is on target to open five stores in the first half of 2021.
A new Warners Bay store will be unveiled in March, one in Gosford in early May, and a just-signed Canberra outlet also slated for a first half opening.
Andersens opens stores
Dean Lightfoot, network development manager, told Inside Franchise Business Executive, “I have a plan for 10 this year and we’re on track to do this. We’ve just signed another store in Canberra with a franchisee who started in January 2020 and has his second site located, and the deal signed. He’s very confident in the brand.”
Further stores house in new homemaker centres will open in Victoria, the Gold Coast, Brisbane, the mid-north coast of New South Wales, and in inner Sydney.
Lightfoot has already lined up sites for development in 2022.
The heritage firm, which started up and is still operating in its Queensland country town home, Gatton, has been flexing its corporate social responsibility muscle too.
Corporate social responsibility
Andersens initiated a reforestation project which will see 50,000 trees planted across Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and South America. Started by CEO Rowan Hodge, in June last year Project Green has been fully backed by franchisees who have helped get the brand well on its way to its target with 38,000 trees already planted.
Lightfoot explains “We’re using a third party to plant the trees, and we’re working on a campaign now to share this news with our customers. Our primary focus was to get it going because that was the right thing to do. Once we’ve reached the goal, we will share the message.”
A mega donation for The Smith Family has also flown under the radar somewhat. The network in December donated more than $80,000 for the charity with franchisees contributing for each invoice they raised.
“It was something that resonated with our community, giving back to young Australians and supporting education for underprivileged children,” says Lightfoot.