Slide show: 10 merchandising ideas made in Germany

Bauhaus is the Swiss-headquartered, European home improvement chain with German roots. The first store opened in Germany in 1960, and the business has flourished across the continent to more than 250 locations.

HBSDealer visited the Cologne, Germany, location, a massive L-shaped facility of more than 200,000 sq. ft., and a parking lot made not of asphalt, but of environmentally friendly tiles. Another striking feature of the store was the quantity and quality of kiosk displays and endcap videos -- (and not one video monitor was inoperative during a reporter's visit).