Praxis

Mission

Praxis positions itself as the go‑to partner for every maker. Our mission is to help customers save time, money and effort on any project. We do this by offering clear advice, easy‑to‑follow instructions, a broad and affordable product range, and services such as timber cutting and tool rental.

Parent Company

Praxis is part of the Maxeda DIY Group, the largest home improvement retailer in the Benelux. In addition to Praxis, Maxeda owns Brico and BricoPlanit in Belgium and Luxembourg. By 2025, the group employs more than 6,500 people, with around 60% working in the Netherlands.

Praxis itself is one of the best‑known DIY chains in the Netherlands. The company opened its first store in Venlo in 1978 and has grown to 184 locations by 2025, ranging from compact city stores to large megastores with garden centres. Across its physical stores and online platform, Praxis offers more than 350,000 products.

Stores

In the Netherlands, Praxis operates 184 stores, varying from small urban formats to large megastores with comprehensive garden assortments. Of these stores, 46 are run by franchisees, maintaining Praxis’ position as one of the country’s largest DIY chains.

Praxis works with three store formats:

• City Box (Praxis City): compact urban stores with a basic assortment; approximately 350 m².
• Mid Box (Praxis, Praxis Megastores, Praxis Megastores & Tuin): larger stores with a wider range and various specialisations. These provide everything needed for maintenance, repairs, and small renovation or decoration projects. The garden‑centre variant adds a full outdoor assortment. Average size: around 4,100 m², ranging from 2,000 to 15,500 m².
• Praxis.nl: the online shop where customers can order products for home delivery or choose ‘click & collect’ in their preferred store.

There are also 44 stores operating under the Praxis name that are owned by independent franchise entrepreneurs.

History

Praxis opened its first store in Venlo in 1978, at the time part of Maxis, a subsidiary of the former KBB group. The brand grew rapidly in the 1980s through acquisitions of smaller chains and the opening of new franchise locations. In 1988, Praxis became an independent business unit within KBB and expanded its presence with TV advertising and a renewed store concept.

During the 1990s and 2000s, Praxis strengthened its position through the acquisition of Formido, Hubo, Superdoe and Marktkauf, significantly increasing its number of stores. In 2006, Praxis became part of the Maxeda DIY Group. The brand continued to expand with megastores, garden centres and the introduction of the compact Praxis City format. From 2017 onwards, all Formido stores were converted to Praxis.

Praxis Plus

With Praxis Plus, customers receive personalised discounts, digital receipts, product recommendations and special promotions. There is no physical loyalty card; everything is managed through the Praxis app. In 2024, the programme counted more than 4.3 million members. Creating an account is free.