Today the Winning Group completed the purchase of upmarket appliance retailing chain Kitchen HQ (KHQ), which has three stores in Perth. In 2013 Appliance Retailer reported on the opening of  KHQ’s second location in O’Connor, on the south side of the Swan River. West Australian retail icon Rick Hart had a vision to create a specialist shopping environment unlike any other.

Retailer Rick Hart (left) with his partner Lisa and his business partner Nick Kirby.

Retailer Rick Hart (left) with his partner Lisa and his business partner Nick Kirby. Hart and Kirby opened the first Kitchen HQ outlet in 2010 in Osborne Park and have since added a second showroom in O’Connor and a third in Joondalup to the business.

The kitchen headquarters showroom was influenced by the design of night clubs.

Rather than employing a traditional retail designer, Hart selected a designer who specialised in designing nightclubs to create the O’Connor showroom.

The Kitchen HQ in O'Connor has open spaces for brands to showcase diffferent configurations.

Kitchen HQ showrooms are large and spacious with appliances laid out by brand, rather than by type. The showroom has over 20 locations showcasing each brand’s message to the consumer.

The ILVE display at KHQ in O'Connor

Dance floor or kitchen? The ILVE display at KHQ in O’Connor.

The refrigerator display at the KHQ O'Connor showroom.

The refrigerator display at the KHQ O’Connor showroom. “KHQ also has separate product category comparison areas for refrigeration, washing machine and dishwasher brands. This best of both worlds approach allows consumers to test 20 products in the one location without having to visit 20 separate locations within the store,” Appliance Retailer reported in 2013.

Demonstration area at Kitchen HQ O'Connor

The demonstration area in use at KHQ O’Connor.

Rick Hart

Rick Hart has more than 30 years experience in the appliance industry.