Page 14 - #182 June 2023

ASIA

SUN & SAND SPORTS ANNOUNCES MAJOR EXPANSION
PLAN IN MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE

Sun & Sand Sports (SSS), which operates under global
well-being company GMG, announced Monday its plans
to open 11 stores under the flagship brand across the
Southeast Asian market. This includes Singapore and
Malaysia. The stores will run operations over the course
of the next 36 months, the company said in a statement.
“Over the years, Asia has become the world’s
consumption growth engine. At GMG, we saw an
opportunity to leverage our retail expertise from the
moment we entered the SEA market. Through brands
such as Sun & Sand Sports, we have constantly challenged
ourselves to look at innovative ways to bring added
value and best-in-class shopping experiences to our
customers. The brand’s resounding success in the Middle
East has been inspiring and we are thrilled to extend the
SSS experience to Asian customers now,” GMG Deputy
Chairman and CEO Mohammad A. Baker said.

DEPARTMENT STORE AND MULTI-BRAND RETAILER SHOPPERS STOP PLAN TO OPEN THE LARGEST BEAUTY STORE IN INDIA TO DATE IN KOLKATA THIS AUTUMN FESTIVE
SEASON. THE RETAIL SPACE WILL FUNCTION AS A CONCEPT STORE AND THE BUSINESS PLANS TO CONTINUE TO OPEN STANDALONE BEAUTY STORES ACROSS INDIA. “IN THE
NEXT FEW MONTHS, WE WILL BE OPENING THE BIGGEST BEAUTY STORE IN THE COUNTRY IN KOLKATA,” SAID SHOPPERS STOP’S MANAGING DIRECTOR AND CEO VENU NAIR
AT A RETAIL SUMMIT ON 6 MAY, THE PRESS TRUST OF INDIA REPORTED. “THIS WILL BE DURING OCTOBER - NOVEMBER.” THIS YEAR, THE BUSINESS PLANS TO OPEN BETWEEN
15 AND 20 BEAUTY STORES AND WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP THIS TARGET FOR THE COMING THREE YEARS.
GIOIA EXPANDS PRESENCE MITSUI FUDOSAN OPENS
WITH MUMBAI UNIT SHOPPING DESTINATION

Kolkata-based luxury handbag brand Gioia has expanded its retail Tokyo-headquartered real estate company Mitsui Fudosan has
presence by opening a store in the city of Mumbai. The store will hosted the grand opening of Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport
offer a wide range of menswear bags and accessories like sling bags, Taichung, the first LaLaport development in Taiwan, on 16 May.
mini bags, tote bags etc for women. The shopping park’s south building earlier opened in January
This is the second store by the mother - son designer duo Diksha 2023 with 41 stores, part of a broader strategy to build its outlet
& Vashisht Bhatia after they opened their first store in Kolkata in business in Taiwan’s three major urban areas: Taipei, Taichung and
September 2022. The brand plans to open its third store in the Mall Tainan. Mitsui Fudosan also cited plans to further invest in retail
of Asia in Bangalore in June 2023. properties in Taiwan.
Diksha and Vashisht Bhatia, Founders of Gioia in a joint statement Among the 300 shops and restaurants opening at the shopping
said, “A large segment of our customer base is well travelled and park are a number of Japanese brands, including a joint opening
from different parts of the country. While retailing online alone we by Fast Retailing’s Uniqlo and GU, food court Omotenashi Dining
can cater to everyone’s needs, some people still want to be able and the supermarket chain Lopia, which would mark its first
to touch and feel the product before they are confident about the store outside of Japan.
quality and craftsmanship and then make a purchase. This expansion Around 25 of the stores being brought in are opening in
will help us increase customer recall and fight competition.” Taiwan for the first time. The north building will feature a diverse
Founded in 2020, Gioia is backed by one of the largest leather selection of multi-brand stores and Japanese fashion brands, such
goods export houses in India, D2 International Private Limited. as Briefing, Hare and Nano Universe.

14 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL JUNE 2023