Real Hypermarket, the most active hypermarket network on the local market, opening eight stores last year, plans to open four more outlets in Bucharest, two of which may launch this year, according to sources in the market.
"We do not think the retail market from Bucharest is entirely saturated and intend to open four hypermarkets in Bucharest by the end of 2008," said Adriana Pita, communication manager of Real Romania.
The German retailer invested between 12-20 million euros last year in each of the eight units it currently operates in Romanian cities. The investment Real Hypermarket will make in Bucharest stores will exceed 80 million euros, according to the companyes estimates. A Real hypermarket will be opened within the Cotroceni Retail Park mall, one of the largest shopping centres on the domestic market, and will be completed in 2008.
This year will also see the first opening of a Real outlet in Baia Mare, according to the companyes representative.
The two hypermarkets proposed to open in Bucharest, this year, will be located in the Vitan and Berceni districts, according to certain sources on the market as quoted by Mediafax. The retailer also targets Cluj, another significant Romanian city, where it continues to wait for authorisation on the opening of an outlet.
In the construction of its stores, the company collaborates with real estate investors, aiming to create a balance between the number of rented locations and the number of purchased locations. Three of the seven stores scheduled to open this year will be owned by Real, as the networkes representatives have previously stated.
Real Hypermarket, a branch of the German group Metro, will comprise of a 21-store network by the end of 2008, which will entail total investments worth 400 million euros on the local market.
The storese sales areas will take up between 6,000 and 8,000 square metres.
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