Oded Peer
צילום: מיכאל קרמר
ENTER to open stores in US, Romania
Israeli gadget, gift chain leading negotiations to launch six branches abroad
Israeli gift and gadget chain ENTER is leading negotiations to open stores in the United States and Romania, Yedioth Ahronoth's economic newspaper Calcalist has learned.
The company is planning to open three or four stores in the US using Israeli franchisers, at a total investment of $800,000. In Romania, two stores are expected to open in the first stage at an investment of $400,000, with the first one slated to be launched at the end of 2009.
Oded Peer, the owner of ENTER, confirmed the report.
Peer held talks in Romania with a local businessman who is the franchiser of FOX and Laline in the eastern European country and is interested in conducting a pilot of two stores outside Bucharest.
"We are interested in opening a chain in the countries we're going to, as opening one store is unprofitable. So our business abroad will be managed by franchisers," said Peer.
About two years ago, Peer was about to leave for Prague in order to open a store in an Elbit Imaging mall, but reconsidered at the last minute.
"I planned to open the store in Prague myself, without a franchiser," Peer explained. "We already received three containers with merchandise, and at the last minute I changed my mind. I have the option of terminating the lease contract.
"I saw that bigger companies, like Castro and FOX, had paid a heavy price for opening stores in Europe. I realized that from an operational point of view it would be problematic not having a franchiser, so I chose to focus on Israel."
The chain has 13 stores in Israel and generates, according to Peer, NIS 30 million (about $7 million) a year. By the end of 2009, the number of stores in Israel is expected to reach 20.
ENTER imports items created by young designers worldwide and offers gifts, gadgets, lifestyle products, design items and fashion accessories.
