As zoom.hu reports, the profile of Alexandra (previously a bookstore) would expand thoroughly, proprietor Zoltán Varga would establish a real gastronomical centre. The owner and chief executive of Central Magyarország was interviewed by Kreatív newspaper.
Zoltán Varga talked about many enterprises he owns. We were sitting in the house functioning as photographic studio and video studio, event venue and restaurant: the Societé creative and cultural centre. He told us that they opted for creating a space for free creative work where artists, designers, content makers and youtubers can enjoy themselves.
“It is a long-term investment, but everything that is generated here, the actual content of art exhibitions and fashion shows belong to us, and when we want to present these in the media, Central will be in a privileged situation.”
The house, previously home to the Alexandra bookstore, would be financed by gastronomy festivals and other events. According to the proprietor, besides female content, gastro-contents would be emphasized, the Alexandra on Károly-körút would be rebuilt accordingly to this. There will be a gastro-bookshop, café, spice store, wine shop and organic products will be sold as well.
“There are numerous similar examples around the world, Eataly, Covent Garden; we also want to collect everything in the house that can be interesting for our readers or customers. We are planning on creating a gourmet centre, but we still have to come up with a name.”
According to the plan, they would establish a Nosalty cooking school as well, moreover, they would bring the same thing to existence in Poland, too, where the cooking webpage, which has over one million subscribers in Hungary, is still something new. Varga sees big possibilities in Nosalty’s entering the Polish market, since in Poland there is a gastronomic revolution at the moment.
Central bought Nosalty.hu when the Economic Competition Office did not indorse its plans to join together with RTL Klub. The company changed strategy and started dealing with female contents, this is how the cooking webpage came into the picture. Although the interaction with RTL was ended, they challenge the decision and look for legal remedy.
“RTL’s digital presence was very little, ours is relatively big, but these together still would not have meant us distorting the national market. We respect the decision, but our professional opinion differs. “
Varga also mentioned the recent situation of the book market, he believes that it is possible to become successful in the industry.
“Many publishers bring in books of high quality, it is possible to have a fair, nice profit. Good news, after the collapse of Alexandra, are the promising prospects on the market, of course this depends on the families’ spendable income.
People did not forget reading, as soon as they have more money, they spend it on books, culture.
Líra and Móra publishing companies will take over almost 30 stores from Alexandra, but it is still important to see that the Hungarian market is overcrowded with selling points. In Austria, for instance, there are much less bookshops and their incoming rates are way better.”
Source: zoom.hu
