The Shilla Duty Free conducted a soft opening of its new downtown store in Phuket, Thailand at the weekend, which has allowed it to take the next step in its ‘diverse global expansion strategy’, it says.
As reported, the store was slated to open originally in August, but the South Korean TR operator was actually able to officially add the Kathu district store to its growing international store network on 19 November. The retailer first opened a store outside Thailand in 2012 with its Changi Airport concession in Singapore. Since then Shilla has opened in Macau also.
This time Shilla has partnered with two local companies (Gems Gallery and The Mall) to operate the store under a ‘GMS Duty Free’ joint venture first agreed in 2013. However the store fascia with carry ‘The Shilla Duty Free’ company name.
Shilla says it is in charge of ‘general operation of the store including MD and store operation’.
TWO-STOREY 25,000SQ M STORE
“Gems Gallery, sole market leader of Phuket’s jewellery market, and The Mall, operator of top-of-the-class department stores and shopping malls in Thailand, are in charge of sourcing of Thailand local goods and marketing,” reveals Shilla.