Retail strip-out is the planned removal of store fit-outs when a store closes or is remodelled, with materials separated for reuse, recycling and disposal. Depending on the market, it is also called de-fit, fit-out removal or store decommissioning. It mainly concerns the tenant fit-out: the building envelope remains with the landlord, while the retailer removes furniture, drywall, ceilings, lighting and technical installations.
Process
- Survey: which components are installed, and in what condition? (see Pre-Demolition Audit)
- Recovery plan: what will be reused, what recycled, what disposed of?
- Execution: separate removal, logistics, interim storage
- Documentation: records for the landlord and waste management, the basis for handing back the premises
Levers for cost and resources
The strip-out costs of a store depend less on demolition than on construction. Reversibly joined, standardised fit-outs can be removed and reused (Design for Disassembly). Bonded composite components without material purity, by contrast, usually end up as mixed waste. Considering strip-out when designing the fit-out reduces cost and waste at the next remodel. Across a network of many stores, this adds up to a significant item in the store portfolio. Which option best preserves the value of components is described by Restwertrückführung.