Gap launches its first Hungarian store in Budapest!
Gap, the American casual clothing and accessories brand, today announces its entry into the Hungarian market through a franchise partnership with Ganeta Pannónia Kft. The brand will be introduced to customers through Gap-branded stores in the country, beginning with the opening of a Gap freestanding store in Etele Pláza September 2021.
Launching in Buda’s largest shopping centre, the Gap store will open on September 17 in the Etele Pláza with the brand’s Fall 2021 collections for men, women, kids, toddlers and infants. Gap continues to build on its heritage grounded in denim and is committed to producing well-made and responsibly produced styles. The 350 square meter store will offer a wide variety of these elevated essentials including denim, t-shirts and hoodies as well as the brand’s signature logo products for the whole family.
Following the store opening, Ganeta Pannónia Kft will also launch a Gap standalone e-commerce website by the end of 2021,
increasing access to the brand through a new consumer touchpoint
and providing an omni-channel offering to customers within Hungary.
“We are excited to continue growing the Gap business in key international markets through our partner-based model. Partnering with regional experts like Ganeta Pannónia Kft allows us to amplify and deliver our relevant, purpose-driven brands to new and existing customers around the globe,” said Adrienne Gernand, Head of Gap Inc. Strategic Alliances, Licensing and Real Estate.
Etele Pláza, developed by Futureal will feature nearly 1,300 parking lots. The most advanced location and navigation system will facilitate parking in the building by indicating empty spaces, it will also help customers to find the chosen stores or services through a mobile application. In the inner space an interactive LED display media interface will add to the uniqueness of the centre. The complex is being developed under Futureal’s Stay Safe initiative designed to respond to the changing market demand due to the pandemic.
“We are very proud to have chosen Etele Plaza as the site for Gap as a famous global brand to enter the Hungarian market. The shopping and entertainment centre’s outstanding location, visibility, digital and architectural solutions as well as its incredible service environment create an exceptional customer experience that is crucial for high profile tenants,” outlined Márk Balástyai, Project Director of Etele Pláza.
Realised in the meeting point of the Kelenföld railway station, underground line 4 and the approach section of M1-M7 motorways,
Etele Pláza can be accessed in just 10 minutes from downtown.
The immediate catchment area of the new centre is one of the most densely populated areas of Budapest, where some 235,000 people live.
About Gap
Gap is an authority on modern American style. Founded in San Francisco in 1969, Gap continues to build on its heritage grounded in denim and connect with customers online and in company-operated and franchise retail locations globally. Gap includes Women’s and Men’s apparel and accessories, GapKids, babyGap, GapTeen, GapMaternity, GapBody and GapFit collections. The brand also serves value-conscious customers with exclusively designed collections for Gap Outlet and GapFactory Stores. Gap is the namesake brand for leading global specialty retailer, Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) which includes Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta brands. For more information, please visit www.gapinc.com.
Source: Press Release
Gap clothes are mostly made in China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Banagladesh. Workers are paid very little (some factories may still be what are termed ‘Sweatshops’, despite Gap trying to prevent this). I for one refuse to buy their clothes for ethical reasons.
Up until a couple of years ago or so, there was a Gap store in the Westend Shopping Centre in Budapest, so this is hardly an entry into the Hungarian market, more of a return after they left due to losing money. But of course the press release above does not tell you that.
I’m surprised they’re opening a store here again as they’re closing all 81 of their stores in the UK by the end of this year. COVID, other clothing shops as competition, not offering enough variety and not investing enough in their online sales are a few of the reasons why.