DEACONS CHIEF EXECUTIVE MUCHIRI WAHOME. [Photo/courtesy]NSE-listed fashion retailer Deacons is set to open its fourth Adidas store Friday.

Share news tips with us here at Hivisasa

The new Adidas outlet at City Mall in Nyali will add to Deacons’ three outlets that it operates at Sarit Centre, The Hub and Two Rivers shopping malls.

Deacons, which has held the franchise for the German multinational since 2010, says it had committed to open the four Adidas store in Mombasa before the decision to hit the brakes on expansion was made.

“We had already committed to this investment and given that it is a low-hanging fruit the directors felt that the risk was minimal. It is a very appropriate location,” chief executive Muchiri Wahome told the Business Daily in an interview.

Deacons, which has 44 branches across Kenya, Rwanda, Mauritius and Uganda, operates several branded stores including Angelo, 4u2, Truworths, Reebok, Babyshop and Mr Price Apparel.

The retailer reported a net loss of Sh278 million for the year to December compared to Sh100.6 million in 2015, attributing the drop to a depressed trading environment.

Deacons closed Angelo at Sarit Centre in Nairobi in April, retrenched five senior managers in May and is preparing to close other poorly performing branches by the end of this month.

“We have relocated and downsized the 4u2 at Thika Road Mall (TRM) to the ground floor and reduced the Babyshop space by 30 per cent,” said Mr Wahome.

“This has allowed us to launch a Deacons Clearance store in TRM. These measures will improve productivity and increase stock turns.”