By Sarah Falson
EAGLE FARM: A small Betta Electrical store in Queensland has become the latest in a stream of BSR retailers joining Abdul Sacur’s Bi-Rite brand, which Sacur boasts offers retailers more suppliers than their former buying group can.
Middlemount Electrical & Video, based in the quaint mining town of Middlemount in Queensland, was a member of the BSL group for many years before it went into administration late last year and was bought out by a band of franchisees who re-launched the brand as BSR.
“We’re a fairly small business in a mining town, and we were with BSL and BSR for 20 years,” said the store manager, who asked to be referred to as Michele.
Michele would not say why her store decided to leave BSR for the Narta-member, Bi-Rite, along with approximately 19 other BSR stores over the past four months.
“I probably shouldn’t reveal why we left BSR,” she said.
The Middlemount store has been operating for 23 years, and is now owned by a husband and wife team, headed up by Mark Rickards, who was unavailable for comment today.
Bi-Rite franchisee, Sacur, told Current.com.au that he hopes to poach more BSR stores and said he plans to build his brand into a $1 billion business, with 150 stores.
“The Bi-Rite group continues to add additional retailers to its group. The group’s strategy of providing an environment for successful retailers to find an alternative option to the other banner groups is proving successful and is now in its 18th year,” said Sacur.
“With the new retailers [joining] the group it is further endorsement that we are able to offer substantial advantages to their business.”