Dionne Rose, Business Reporter

Gassan Azan inside his Bashco store at Orange Street. - contributed

Businessman Gassan Azan is renovating his chain of Bashco stores, a project in which he is pumping J$100 million to redefine the look and feel of the dozen operations spread across Jamaica, and add new and better quality products to store shelves.

Azan has started with the store at Orange Street in downtown Kingston, which will double in size from 15,000 square feet to 30,000 square feet, and should be completed in time for the Christmas season.

Formal launch

The businessman, who also owns the MegaMart chain, has indicated he will be rolling out the new-look operations with a formal launch in an attempt to rebrand the operation.

"We are going to be launching, like a rebranding, because the days of shopping behind chicken mesh, as far as we are concerned, are finished," Azan told The Financial Gleaner at his Orange Street office yesterday. "We want to give better customer service, we want to be as retail-friendly as possible, because a lot of the business has gone in that direction."

Bashco is a chain of low-end stores that specialise in household goods, appliances, furniture and clothing - cheap products targeted at low-income consumers.

But Azan said the product line has also been upgraded in response to its customers who, he said, have become more discerning.

"The products are of a higher quality than what we have carried in the past. So we have upgraded the products because we realise that people want value," said Azan of its household appliances, electronics, furniture, linen and kitchenware.

Azan also disclosed that under the rebranding, he would be rationalising his product range at outlets islandwide. "For example, we have four stores in the downtown area. There is no reason for the four stores to be all selling the same thing, so we have converted one to only clothing (Beckford and Princess streets) and you find that down here (Orange Street) sells furniture, appliances, electronics, etc," he said.

Rationalisations

Azan said similar rationalisations will be done at other outlets throughout the country, including stores in Spanish Town and Linstead in St Catherine; Montego Bay in St James; May Pen in Clarendon; Mandeville in Manchester and Ocho Rios in St Ann.

"The bigger stores will be able to sell a bigger variety, whereas the smaller stores will concentrate on niche areas because, if there is not enough space in a store to display furniture, it doesn't make sense selling it; all you end up doing is destroy them," said Azan.

The expansion will see the business creating another 100 jobs, said Azan.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com