Former Clive Peeters director and WA retailing icon Rick Hart was saddened to hear today that the stores bearing his name are now currently under voluntary administration as he prepares to open his own retailing brand in Perth.
“What I would like to say is it’s a very sad day for me personally and for the company,” Hart told Current.com.au.
“I feel very sad about it is an icon brand. It has been a very successful business even though I haven’t been involved for the last six months. It is very sad to see it get to this point.”
When asked how he felt about voluntary administrators running the Rick Hart Group of electrical stores, Hart himself was diplomatic.
“I have no control of that unfortunately. When you have no control, you can’t have an opinion.”
Hart said he is concentrating on his new retail brand, Kitchen Headquarters, which will be opening later this month.
“We are well advanced towards opening up the store and we’re very gung-ho about our prospects,” he said.
Rick Hart started trading as an appliance retailer at Osborne Park in 1975 and in 1999 left the Retravision to join the Narta buying group trading as Rick Hart. In July 2005, Clive Peeters purchased Rick Hart’s 14 stores ahead of a listing on the ASX on September 22, 2005, which funded the deal. At this time Rick Hart became a director on the board until on 18 November 2009 a press release announced Rick Hart would not be seeking re-election to the Clive Peeters board and would be leaving the Rick Hart group as CEO.