97-year-old South African retailer stages comeback with 50 new stores

Cape Town – After spending the past three years downsizing following its 2020 business rescue, Edgars is shifting back into growth mode.

The retailer, now owned by Retailability and private equity partner Metier, plans to open 50 new stores across South Africa over the next two years, expanding its existing network of more than 100 stores, Daily Investor reported.

The expansion will include traditional Edgars stores, additional Edgars Beauty outlets — particularly in the Boland region, including Paarl and Stellenbosch — and the launch of the first standalone Edgars Connect cellular store in July 2026.

Retailability said its restructuring programme, which reduced store space by 100,000m², has improved profitability and sustainability.

CEO Norman Drieselmann said the company is now focused on strategic growth, aiming to bring the Edgars brand back to communities where it can operate successfully while pursuing new opportunities in fashion, beauty and telecommunications.

“The work we have done over the past three years has paid off. While optimisation remains ongoing, we are now equally focused on growth,” the report quoted Drieselmann as saying.

According to Property Wheel, the first of the 50 new-generation community stores is expected to open in July and August. Drieselmann said the retailer continues to honour the brand’s heritage while operating with the mindset of a start-up focused on customer needs.

He added that the right-sized stores have exceeded expectations, delivering stronger productivity and larger customer basket sizes.

Property Wheel also reported that Retailability’s fashion brand, Kelso, recently opened its fourth store at Tygervalley following a successful pilot phase.