Bucharest, December 3rd, 2007 - The opening of Baneasa Shopping City scheduled for Spring 2008 will be, in the same time, the entrance on the Romanian retail market for some prestigiouse multinational fashion brands to be found first time in Romania under the same roof, such as: Peek & Cloppenburg, SOLMAR, INDITEX and Azadea Group. The above mentioned brands are the four anchors of the commercial center.
 
In Baneasa Shopping City, the lease process is 100% completed. More than half of the rentable surface of the mall will enrich the Romanian fashion market with lots of new brands.

"We are absolutelly delighted that we succeeded to reach our main objective those of having in Baneasa Shopping City almost 50% from the rent surface with new entry multinational brands in Romania” stated Ali Ergun Ergen – Administrator & Retail Development Manager for Baneasa Developments. „Peek & Cloppenburg, SOLMAR, INDITEX and Azadea Group are just the beginning because we are preparing other new fashion brands for those who will visit „ the most eagerly awaited fashion mall in Romania starting spring 2008.”, added Ali Ergun Ergen.

Peek & Cloppenburg is a brand leader on the German market that will open a “department store” in Baneasa Shopping City. In „the most eagerly awaited mall”, Peek & Cloppenburg will be presented with a collection of over 200 international brands, and will be the biggest fashion store in Romania with round about 4.000 mp rent surface distributed on 2 levels.

As a multinational company, Peek & Cloppenburg is a „house of brands” with a history of more than 100 years. Until the end of the year 2007, Peek & Cloppenburg opens its 69 stores in Germany and 27 stores in other European countries. The first two Peek & Cloppenburg stores, for men and boys’ were opened in Dusseldorf and Berlin. Peek & Cloppenburg opened flagship stores amongst others in Frankfurt am Main, Berlin, Vienna, Dusseldorf and Stuttgart. One of the most representative flagship stores was opened also in 2005, in Cologne and was constructed by one of the most renowned architects of the modern age: RENZO PIANO.

Peek & Cloppenburg is well known over the world for its famous fashion brands as: Armani Collezioni, Hugo Boss, Polo Ralph Lauren, Max Mara, Ralph Lauren, Vogue, Burberry, Ermenegildo Zegna and Lagerfeld, sport brands as: Adidas and Esprit and blue jeans brands as: Armani Jeans, Calvin Klein Jeans, Diesel and DKNY Jeans and many others.

SOLMAR will come in Baneasa Shopping City with 11 stores. Except the brands already represented by the company as: Promod, Castro, Jennyfer, Parfois and IT+, Solmar has already signed new partnerships with Max Mara Group for the brands Max Mara Weekend, Marina Rinaldi and Max&Co, with Mosaic Fashion from UK, with Oasis and lately with Karen Millen. 

“Solmar sustained from the very beginning Baneasa Shopping City project, being absolutely convinced by its top position on the Romanian retail market. The perfect location in the North of Bucharest and the fact that Baneasa Shopping City is an integrated part of Baneasa Project convinced us to operate in Baneasa Shopping City with a more ample portfolio than we had operated until now in other shopping destinations” stated Irina Radu, General Manager Solmar Romania. “We are convinced that once opened Baneasa Shopping City will be an added value on the Romanian retail market” added Irina Radu.

INDITEX, one of the world’s largest fashion distributors, has over 3,500 outlets in 68 countries in Europe, The United States, Asia and Africa. Inditex will open in Baneasa Shopping City 7 stores: in addition to ZARA, the largest of its retail chains, Inditex has another six formats that will bring all in Baneasa Shopping City: Pull and Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho and Zara Home. Its unique management model, based on innovation and flexibility, and its vision of fashion, creativity and quality design, together with a rapid response to market demands has resulted in fast international expansion and an excellent response to its sales concepts. Inditex stores can be found in all the world’s major cities, always in the main shopping districts. Inditex has grown dramatically in recent years, achieving a consolidated turnover in 2006 of 8,196 million euros, with a net profit of 1,002 million euros.

Azadea Group will also extend its Romanian store network by opening concept stores in Baneasa Shopping City at its opening in the spring of 2008. Azadea will come in Baneasa Shopping City together with 7 brands, covering, in the same time, 5 fashion fields as: fashion and clothing for entire family - PIAZZA ITALIA, OVIESSE, fashion concepts - SALSA JEANS, XANAKA, accessories - COLOURS & BEAUTY, , eyewear design - SUNGLASS HUT and shoes – ANDRE. Azadea Group is one of the world’s fastest growing retail groups and is operating more than 45 leading international franchises in the Middle East, GCC region and Eastern Europe. Azadea’s headquarters are located in Beirut, Lebanon. The Group employs more than 5,000 people who support over 250 strategically located stores in major malls and shopping streets. Azadea currently has offices in Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Romania, Egypt, Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“We have chosen Baneasa Shopping City because we are talking about the biggest mall in Romania, a variety of shopping and entertainment facilities located in one of the most dynamic areas in Bucharest” stated Marian Radu Country Manager for Azadea Group. “Baneasa Shopping City is the perfect place for opening our stores because it matches with our concept as well - a place dedicated to the entire family. On long term, we are going to extend in the near feature in Romania by opening 20 new stores in Bucharest, Cluj and Constanta." added Marian Radu.
 
Baneasa Shopping City is a real city full of fashion, the new exquisite Bucharest’s shopping destination. Integrated in the Baneasa Commercial Area and part of the Baneasa Project, Baneasa Shopping City will soon become the fashion, food and fun bench-mark of Bucharest.


Baneasa Shopping City is a construction of over 85,000 sq. m of letting surface that will integrate over 220 stores at the highest European standards. The construction of Baneasa Shopping City started last year and is planned to be finished in spring 2008. In “the most eagerly awaited Mall”, almost 50% of the total letting surface represents new entry fashion brands in Romania and the letting process is now 100% completed. Except the major entry fashion brands, Baneasa Shopping City will also offer the first 3 level food-court in the country with a Ground floor dedicated to fast foods, a 1st floor dedicated to the restaurants and the 2nd floor dedicated to a club & lounge area. Baneasa Shopping City will also bring, in the following phase, a unique concept on the market through the largest entertainment center in Romania developed on 30,000 sq. m.

Baneasa Shopping City is an integrated part of Baneasa Commercial Area – the 450,000 sq. m retail park that comprises: IKEA, the number 1 furniture retailer in the world, CARREFOUR, one of the largest in the country, together with its shopping gallery FEERIA, METRO, the most important “cash & carry” store in Romania, BRICOSTORE, the most successful Do-It-Yourself store in the country, MOBEXPERT, number 1 Romanian furniture retailer and producer and MOTOR CITY, a sales area dedicated to the most famous car brands.

Baneasa Commercial Area is one of the three integrated parts of the Baneasa Project, itself the largest mixed use urban development project in the South Eastern Europe. The investment in the project exceeds EUR 1.8 billion and will cover over 221 hectares of land. In addition to the 450,000 sq. m of retail area, Baneasa Project will offer approximate 4500 - 5,000 housing units in Baneasa Rezidential and a state-of-the-art business park incorporating 160,000 sq. m of class A and A+ office space in Baneasa Business & Technology Park.

For further information:
Roxana Răcănel
Media Specialist Băneasa Developments;
Tel: 0747 070 237; E-mail: roxana.racanel@baneasa.ro;

Alina Meleşcanu
PR Account Manager Tempo Advertising;
Tel: 0740 121 286; E-mail: alina.melescanu@tempoadvertising.ro