RONA Continues to Expand its Network of Stores: Company to Open Five new Stores and Convert Two Proximity Into Big Box Stores

BOUCHERVILLE, QUÉBEC--(Marketwired - Feb. 10, 2016) - RONA inc. (TSX:RON)(TSX:RON.PR.A) is announcing the opening of three new Réno-Dépôt stores in Quebec (Boucherville, Trois-Rivières and Valleyfield), along with two new RONA stores (Saint-Félix-de-Valois, QC, and Moose Jaw, SK), and the expansion of two existing RONA stores which are being converted into big-box stores (Saskatoon, SK, and Châteauguay, QC).

"Last year, we were very active with our plans to open new stores and we are pleased to begin 2016 with all these projects under way. The markets for the stores were carefully selected to increase our reach and to provide better service to surrounding-area communities," says Luc Rodier, Executive Vice-President, Retail, at RONA.

With the addition of three new stores, the Réno-Dépôt banner will see its number of locations increase to 22. The 70,000 square feet Boucherville store will be located in a former Maxi store on Nobel Street and will be ready to welcome its first customers in July. The two other Réno-Dépôt stores will each occupy an area of 50,000 square feet. The one in Trois-Rivières will be located in the Les Rivières shopping centre, occupying space vacated by Target. The opening is scheduled for June 2016. Construction of the new Réno-Dépôt store in Valleyfield on Monseigneur-Langlois Boulevard will begin in 2016 with a planned opening in early 2017.

"The new Réno-Dépôt store concept that occupies 50,000 square feet, allows us to optimize our retail space and gives us access to a greater number of markets across the country compared to the traditional 80,000-square-foot space reserved for big-box stores," adds Luc Rodier.

In Saint-Félix-de-Valois, in the Lanaudière region, construction of the new 25,000-square-foot RONA store will begin this year, with a scheduled opening in early 2017. It will be located on Henry-L.-Chevrette Boulevard. In Moose Jaw, the new RONA store will occupy 35,000 square feet of space in a location previously owned by Sobeys. Work is proceeding well with an opening scheduled for March.

As for the conversions of two RONA stores into big-box stores, the proximity store in Saskatoon recently became a RONA Home and Garden with the addition of 25,000 square feet. Work at the location lasted five months and was completed in January. The Châteauguay RONA store will see its retail space increase by 40%, adding 15,000 square feet, and will become a RONA L'entrepôt location. The interior of the store is being completely redesigned with work set to be completed in early March.

About RONA

RONA inc. is a major Canadian retailer and distributor of hardware, building materials and home renovation products. The Corporation operates a network of close to 500 corporate and independent affiliate dealer stores in a number of complementary formats. With its nine distribution centres, RONA serves its network of stores and several independent dealers operating under other banners, including Ace, for which RONA owns the licensing rights and is the exclusive distributor in Canada. With more than 17,000 employees in corporate stores and more than 5,000 employees in the stores of its independent affiliate dealers, the Corporation generates annual consolidated sales of $4.1 billion. For more information, visit rona.ca.