IndiaRetailBiz

Liverpool Retail, an Ahmedabad-based fashion retailer, which presently operates a chain of exclusive menswear retail stores across India, UAE and Nepal, launched its first family store on Thursday, the 15th October, 2009, at its home base in Ahmedabad. Liverpool hold the distinction of launching 151 stores on a single day. The feat is now part of the Limca Book of Records.

The Liverpool family store is part of 50 such family stores being planned to be set up by the company by March, 2011. Twenty five of these 50 family stores are slated to come up in the next three months.

Apart from family stores, the retailer is also embarking on an aggressive plan to expand its present network of 500 Liverpool menswear stores located across 22 states of the country. While 70 of the 500 stores are located in the home state of Gujarat, the retailer is also having its presence outside India. It is currently operating a store each in the UAE and Nepal.

Liverpool has drawn up plans to set up 700 new menswear stores by March 2010. It will also set up another 300 stores by March 2011, thus, taking the tally of new stores to 1,000 in less than 18 months. The total network of menswear outlets after completion of expansion will thus rise to 1,500 stores.

The company is also diversifying into footwear retailing by opening a new exclusive footwear chain. This retail chain is planning to set up 25 footwear stores this year, while another 75 stores are expected to be added soon, thereby, taking the number of footwear stores to 100 in the coming months.

The company has earmarked a sum of Rs 200 crore to fund its expansion.

Liverpool is presently sourcing its requirement from third party manufacturers, however, to augment supplies, it has decided to also set up a garments manufacturing facility in Ahmedabad. The plant is expected to be ready for production by 2010-11.