The approximately 600,000 square metres offered by the 24 malls on the market has allowed players in the clothing industry to aggressively expand their store networks, with some even doubling them.
Given that 15 malls will open on the market over the next three years, the number of brands is expected to increase by 50%, especially in light of the fact that many companies are keeping an eye on every new launch. Malls' main points of attraction are the large areas of available space and the big flow of clients. At the same time, brands that enter the local market for the first time also opt for large shopping centres, which allow investments to be recouped faster.
According to ZF estimates, based on data from shopping centre websites, Kenvelo has the largest presence, followed by local brands Leonardo, Jolidon, Steilmann and House of Art.
According to Finance Ministry's website, out of the 38 stores it holds on the local market, Kenvelo has stores in 20 malls and is present in all Bucharest's shopping centres, i.e. Plaza Romania, Bucuresti Mall, City Mall and Unirea Shopping Center.
Local brands account for no more than 20% of the total number of brands on the Romanian market, however, despite this low number, domestic brands still have the strongest presence throughout the country in terms of the number of stores opened in shopping centres. Leonardo, which retails footwear and leather products, is present in 19 of the 24 malls in Romania.
"This is the most modern retail format, so we have to be part of every big project. We want to be present in all of them, because these locations allow us to expand in large areas, which is not the case of independent stores," said Gratian Ivan, commercial manager of Leonardo.
The company representative also mentioned among the advantages of having a store in a shopping centre the low rent costs and the fact that the location is a genuine focus of attraction for clients, especially in provincial towns.
Third among the brands with the strongest presence in shopping centres are Jolidon and Steilmann, both with 17 stores in large shopping centres throughout the country. They are followed by another two Romanian clothing brands, House of Art, held by Staff Collection and Bigotti, each present in 13 shopping centres in Romania.
"Stores that opened in shopping centres account for 40% of the total number of stores, and that is because House of Art has grown in parallel with the emergence of malls, after the first store opened in Bucuresti Mall around nine years ago," said Oliviera Mihet, general manager of Staff Collection.
Clothing retailers in malls
The space available in 24 malls has allowed clothing retailers to aggressively expand
According to ZF estimates, Kenvelo has the strongest presence, followed by local brands Leonardo, Jolidon, Steilmann, and House of Art
Kenvelo has stores in 20 malls, Leonardo is present in 19 malls, Jolidon and Steilmann both have stores in 17 malls, followed by House of Art and Bigotti with 13 stores.
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