Pantaloon to experiment with retail formats

New Delhi: The Rs 650-crore Pantaloon Retail (India) is planning to diversify into different retail formats from the present Big Bazaar, Food Bazaar, Pantaloon and Central stores.

The retailer now has plans to enter beauty and grooming and fresh service segments after opening a clothing and accessories store, Fashion Street.

Kishore Biyani, managing director of Pantaloon Retail, said the company will launch a chain of beauty parlours called `Star aur Sitara'' in the next few months. The parlours will be positioned at the mass-end of the market and the company is targeting the middle class with its prices and offerings.

The beauty parlours will provide hair-cutting and styling services for both men and women.

The new services will be priced at a `discount'' compared to the existing market rates, in line with the Big Bazaar''s concept of a discount store. The offerings will also include special packages aimed at segments of the beauty market such as wedding makeovers. Besides, Pantaloons has plans to launch events around its salons to attract customers. The company is in the process of hiring personnel with experience in the beauty business to run its salons and parlours.

Initially the outlets will some up in Ahmedabad and Bangalore and both these outlets would be located within shopping malls.