Ganzaroli Hobby, an associated Bricolife store, has been a landmark in the center of Florence for 30 years.

A historic name in the trade in the Tuscan capital that has always been available to customers: we visited the store and interviewed the owner Letizia Ganzaroli.

In the center of Florence it is a historic name for hardware and DIY: Ganzaroli Hobby, for 30 years, has been serving customers and helping them choose the right product. For seven years the company has also been in the Bricolife consortium: we talked about it with the owner Letizia Ganzaroli.

MondoPratico: How did the relationship between Ganzaroli Hobby and Bricolife begin?

Letizia Ganzaroli: We were the ones who sought out Bricolife. We liked the idea of being able to join a consortium and we evaluated some options, then choosing Bricolife as soon as we understood its philosophy. In Bricolife, the owner of the member store continues to have 100% of the decision-making power regarding the choices related to their store, and this gave us the impetus to officially enter the consortium.

There are affiliations in which the sign is obliged to follow seasonal trends, with Bricolife instead we are totally independent under any aspect: suppliers, merchandise, display.

At the same time, however, we feel part of the family, Ganzaroli Hobby, the neighborhood DIY sharing our experiences, meeting and exchanging opinions, reflections, advice. And, an aspect obviously not to be underestimated, today thanks to Bricolife we have a purchasing power not comparable to when we worked alone.

Bricolife, representing all its 90 stores, today buys for 80 million euros and therefore allows us to be competitive in purchasing, sales and commercial offers: the consortium today groups 5 private brands that strongly differentiate us in the competition.

MondoPratico: Yours is a family business where tradition and history are essential values…

Letizia Ganzaroli: That’s right. The store bears our family name: my father founded it 30 years ago thanks to an intuition that allows us to be here today. Our family has always worked in commerce since the 1960s, then in the 90s my father decided to diversify the activities by opening more stores in the same neighborhood. Among these, the current Ganzaroli Hobby, the DIY of almost 1000 square meters that for 30 years has been the point of reference for all Florentines looking for solutions for their home and garden.

We work mainly directly with suppliers, trying to display as much as possible in our 1000 square meters, taking advantage of the central aisles dedicated to seasonality.

MondoPratico: What is the target of your clientele?

Letizia Ganzaroli: The customer base is mainly private individuals, but professionals also know that they can find everything they need with us. With us, customers find knowledgeable sales staff ready to give the right advice to everyone, providing an invaluable service that builds customer loyalty.

MondoPratico: Without making “uncomfortable” comparisons with the large giants of large-scale distribution, why should a customer turn to you?

Letizia Ganzaroli: Because we are the classic local DIY, in a central neighborhood that has become a commercial hub over the years and where we also manage household goods, toys, and pet stores. Obviously, the giants of specialized large-scale distribution have a depth of range not even comparable to ours, but in our range, we have some very respectable arrows: advice, preparation, assistance.

MondoPratico: The management of the store is entrusted to you and your sister: how important is the female eye in the preparation and presentation?

Letizia Ganzaroli: I won’t deny that we particularly care about a well-maintained display, especially the one dedicated to seasonal items and therefore garden furniture and Christmas. My sister and I are also very curious and enterprising and we are not afraid to include novelties and new product categories proposed by suppliers, who appreciate our probably not so common availability.

MondoPratico: The choice to work with a small warehouse “forces” you to have an almost daily relationship with suppliers …

Letizia Ganzaroli: That’s right, our warehouse is very limited, but we are able to support sales thanks to the organization and suppliers who are able to support our purchases with fast deliveries.

MondoPratico: Would you recommend joining Bricolife to other businesses like yours?

Letizia Ganzaroli: Of course, yes. It gives you the opportunity to compare yourself with companies that are profoundly different from yours in terms of geographical location and size; from the consortium, we import know-how that allows us to be always up-to-date and competitive.

Bricolife started its activity in 2011. Today the consortium is made up of Albrico, ByBrico, Brico Formica, Briconova, BricoPiù, Brico Point, Brico Sapiens, DG Ferramenta, Emporio Chiacchia, Eurobrico, Fermarket, Ganzaroli Hobby, Gruppo CFadda, Hobby&Legno, Ianniello Brico Point, Izzi Group, La Prealpina, Orizzonte, PGroup, SR Brico-Sangro Trade. In December 2015, it founded the super-central Sistema Italia together with Brico io.