Pantaloon''s
aggressive expansion
Our
Corporate Bureau
05 July 2004
Mumbai:
Pantaloon, the country''s largest retailer, is agressively
rolling out new outlets across the country. Pantaloon
Retail will be openings it''s 10th Big Bazaar, a 36,000
sq ft store including the Food Bazaar, in Nashik this
month.
The
company will also be opening an independent Food Bazaar
measuring 9,000 sq ft at Hosur Road in Bangalore.
Pantaloon
is India''s largest listed retailer. The company is rapidly
building out retail capacity in both its primary retailing
formats-life style and value retailing.
In
life-style retailing, its stores ''Pantaloon'' and the upcoming
''Central'' offer apparel and fashion items targeted at
the middle-class market. Its ''Big Bazaar'' discount stores
target the price-conscious apparel aswell as grocery (''Food
Discount'' brand) markets.
The
company has also introduced ''seamless mall'' concept to
Indians for the first time. The ''Central'' in Bangalore
has 125,000 sq. ft. of retailing space including a food
court, food & grocery section, a nightclub and other
entertainment options.
Initial reports
about the Central mall opened in Bangalore on May 14,
after a delay of almost 2 months, have been encouraging.
The mall accounted for Rs 35 million in sales for the
first 14 days in operations. It is expected that this
run rate to better as the mall establishes its presence
as a shopping destination in the city.