500,000 euros for first Bally store in Bucharest

Bally, the Swiss luxury footwear brand, has entered the Romanian market through a monobrand store on Nicolae Balcescu Blvd. The 100 square-metre unit (which covers two floors) entailed investments worth 500,000 euros, whilst Adrian Puiu, who holds the Bally franchise, said Romanian designers had worked with Bally experts to fit the store. “Bally is a brand that requires a high-end location, our target audience does not shop in malls,” said Puiu, explaining the store’s prime location. Bally was founded in 1851, in the Swiss hamlet Shonenwerd by Carl Franz Bally, whilst the first factories were built in 1854. The brand is considered to be one of the longest lasting global luxury brands that are still operating today. As for the negotiations, Puiu recalls they started a year and a half ago. “We acquainted them with the market’s potential, and explained that the Romanian luxury market is still in a burgeoning stage, which has a very high growth potential. In fact, we estimate many important international brands will enter the Romanian market within the next three years.” Adrian Puiu is experienced when it comes to luxury brands, as a holder of the Furla, Fratelli Rossetti and Bruno Magli licences on the Romanian market.