Castro Tel Aviv re-launched
Fashion chain invests NIS 8 million in designing flagship store in Dizengoff Center as a loft. In April, store to host exhibit marking Tel Aviv's 100th anniversary, launch collection inspired by first Hebrew city
The three-floor store, which is located in Dizengoff Center, still measures 1,000 square meters (10,763 square feet) in size, but the collection display area has been increased by 400 square meters (4,305 square feet) following the removal of a barber's shop and café from the compound.
The store was designed as a loft by architect Uri Ben Dror of Studio MU, and will now offer personal styling services, music listening posts and a stand for ordering concert tickets, which will be attached to the wall in the Castro Men section and used as a Tel Avivivan bulletin board.
Catro's joint CEO Gabi Rotter announced in a press conference held in the renovated store that a new project in honor of Tel Aviv's 100th anniversary would be launched in the store in early April.
The project, "Tel Aviv's Hall of Fame," will be held for three months, and will include an exhibition honoring the 100 most significant people in the history of the capital of Israeli culture – from its establishment to this day.
In addition, a new collection of shirts inspired by Tel Aviv will be sold exclusively in the store.
'H&M not the only big competitor'
Castro is seeking to strengthen the brand's Israeli values, in light of the growing competition on the part of similar successful foreign fashion chains, and in the face of a further threat in the horizon: H&M's expected arrival in Israel in 2010."The competition is big, but it's not just against H&M," Rotter told Ynet. "This is our competition as a leading Israeli company against international brands, and our goal is to cause the buyer to see our uniqueness and favor Castro's Israeli design over a design from abroad."
According to Rotter, the Castro Tel Aviv store is the only one which will host events like the exhibit, and the only one in Israel selling one-time collections. Nonetheless, the design of every new Castro store will be inspired by the Tel Aviv flagship store from now on.
Asked why the company chose to open such a bustling store in Tel Aviv only, Rotter replied that Tel Aviv is a tourism center for the rest of the country's residents.
"There are 100 Top Shop stores in Britain," Rotter told Ynet, "but the company's flagship store is only in London. It's quite possible, however, that one day we'll open a Castro Jerusalem store."
