Iconic store making a comeback after closing its doors 8 years ago in South Africa
South African homeware retailer Boardmans is returning to physical stores nearly eight years after its nationwide closure.
This means South Africans can now shop for Boardmans’ furniture, bedding, appliances, and homeware in-store.
Pepkor Lifestyle announced that Boardmans had returned to physical retail as of 5 October 2026, with seven existing group stores being rebranded. Further openings are planned as the retailer expands its presence across the country.
The move marks a new phase for a brand that many South Africans thought had disappeared for good when its stores closed in 2018.
Under its new offering, Boardmans will combine furniture, homeware, bedding, kitchen products, appliances and other household essentials in one shopping destination.
The retailer will also introduce televisions, audio equipment, and home technology through a partnership with Incredible, the South African technology retailer.
“Under the brand promise, ‘Every home starts at Boardmans’, the retailer aims to simplify the homemaking journey,” Pepkor said.
The company said the expanded range would allow customers to shop for multiple rooms and everyday household needs in one place, while providing a physical environment in which to explore products and find inspiration.
Customers will have access to credit, store accounts and lay-by payment options, as well as promotional deals through the retailer’s +more rewards programme.
The revival also includes bringing Boardmans’ online operations together with Rochester, Pepkor’s furniture retailer.
As of 5 October, customers visiting Rochester.co.za will be redirected to a dedicated Rochester section within Boardmans.co.za.
This will incorporate Rochester’s premium furniture collections into the broader online catalogue.
However, Rochester’s physical footprint will remain unchanged. All 38 existing stores will continue operating, with customers retaining access to its furniture range and an expanded digital catalogue.
Boardmans began as a hardware store called Sam Newman’s before Tom Boardman bought two retail outlets in Cape Town in November 1982.
The revival
Pick n Pay became a financial partner in the early 1990s before acquiring the entire business. Under its ownership, Boardmans grew to 26 stores nationwide.
In 2003, Edcon bought the retailer from Pick n Pay for R94 million. At the time, Boardmans specialised in kitchenware, furniture and outdoor products, generating annual turnover of R211 million.
Former Edcon chief executive Steve Ross said the acquisition supported the group’s strategy of expanding into non-food retail.
However, the brand’s fortunes changed as Edcon faced mounting financial pressure and sought to restructure its operations.
In 2018, former Edcon chief executive Grant Pattison announced plans to close Boardmans and introduce Edgars Home as a replacement.
Rather than operating as a standalone retailer, the new homeware offering was incorporated into Edgars department stores in shopping malls.
The closure formed part of Edcon’s contentious turnaround strategy, bringing an end to Boardmans’ physical store network.
In 2020, the brand was transferred to Retailability, a Durban-based retail group that acquired parts of Edcon’s Edgars business.
Retailability’s portfolio includes Edgars, Legit, Beaver Canoe, Style and Keedo, with a network of approximately 600 stores across Southern Africa.
Boardmans eventually returned in 2023, initially as an online-only retailer. Its latest relaunch represents an expansion of that comeback, with the brand once again entering physical retail while broadening its online offering.
The strategy places Boardmans in a market where established retailers compete for household spending across furniture, appliances and homeware, while customers increasingly expect to browse and purchase products both online and in stores.
By combining its own homeware range with Rochester furniture and Incredible’s technology offering, Pepkor is positioning Boardmans as a broader home-shopping destination rather than a specialist kitchenware or furniture retailer.
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