https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5XWZ9QCSIg
The world watches as Ukraine is pounded by the invasion from Russia. The resulting devastation includes the largest migration of people since World War II, as bombing and attacks have extended beyond the borders to residential areas with civilian casualties.
Information directly from Ukraine indicates devastation that includes one big box home improvement retailer. John Herbert, general secretary of the retail associations representing home improvement retailers worldwide through the European DIY Retail Association (EDRA) and Global Home Improvement Network (GHIN), has shared direct communications he received this past weekend from the front lines.
“I am in contact with the CEO of Epicenter, Borys Artari-Kolumb, our GHIN Ukraine member, who today informed me of the dramatic situation his company is experiencing in the war in Ukraine,” Herbert says, adding that it’s “the dominant home improvement retail company in Ukraine, with 59 home improvement hypermarkets and sales exceeding €2 billion,” or almost $CD3 billion. Epicenter’s giant stores can exceed one million square feet in size.
Herbert goes on to share the note he received from Artari-Kolumb: “Thank you very much for your support. Two Epicenters have already burned down, one was hit by a shell and broke through the roof. My main task for today is to move the family to a safe place; I’m doing it. We are doing a lot of work to organize the logistics of humanitarian goods and food through our logistics and shopping centres! I am sure that we will save the world!!!”
(Our thanks to John Herbert for sharing this tragic news. Above is Artari-Kolumb’s own video above showing the destruction of an Epicenter following a bombing by the Russian attack.)
