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RETAIL MATTERS COMPANY PROFILE
Spiro’s Mega Mica s ar e y 0 0 1 es celebrat
Spiro’s Mega Mica (pronounced ‘spy-rows’) celebrates 100 years of business this year, a milestone to be applauded and a rare achievement in the South African retail sector.
Steven Sollinger and Jess Spiro.
D
IY and Industrial Trade News recently spoke to Spiro’s Mega Mica to find out
Spiro’s that current consumers know, and love was
stories it is important to go back to the
opened. Since then, Spiro’s Corner has undergone
very beginning to understand the resilience behind
changes to stay relevant to the ever-changing
this achievement.
environment. The most recent change has been the Solar Parking Project, which provides under
1922. His sons, Norman, Monty and Theo grew up
cover parking to customers, while at the same time
in the house next to the store, and when Harry died
harnessing the power of the sun to provide energy
at the age of 49, the boys were still very young, and
to the centre.
their mother Jessie took the business over until Monty joined the family business in 1947. Theo Spiro joined the store when he was 18 years
Unfortunately, the family continued to be beset by tragedy and Kevin died of a brain tumour three years later at the age of 46. This is when Steven Sollinger,
old having worked at another family business from
Theo’s son-in-law, took over the business and is
the age of 17 (a garage and car dealership in Bellville).
still at the helm over a decade later. In 2019, Kevin’s
With the untimely death of Monty Spiro in 1962,
son, Jess, joined the business fulltime, so a fourth-
Theo took over the running of the store and when
generation family member is now involved.
one of their major suppliers, William Spilhaus, was
FEBRUARY 2022 DIY & INDUSTRIAL TRADE NEWS
In 2006 Spiro’s underwent a major rebuild and the
the secret to its success. As with most
Harry Spiro opened a general dealership in May
// We don’t just sell hardware, we understand it //
remain loyal members to this day, some 39 years later.
It was late in 2019 when Spiro’s Mica Paint and
sold to Sanlam, Theo had the foresight to change
Hardware rebranded to Spiro’s Mega Mica, offering a
the general dealership into one of the first DIY self-
wider choice to the local community.
service stores focusing on household needs. In 1983, Theo’s son, Kevin, joined him in the business
When asked what the continued success of Spiro’s could be attributed to, Sollinger said it was
and it was in the same year that Spiro’s joined the
its ability to adapt to changing times and to stay
Mica family as one of its founding members and
relevant in this fast-moving world.
