 "Shoppers Stop")
SS Beauty, a part of Shoppers Stop department stores, has said its new store in Kolkata is India’s largest for beauty products and an important moment for the industry.
Biju Kassim, chief executive officer of beauty at Shoppers Stop, said the store spreads over 9,000 square feet at the Quest Mall, which houses premium and luxury brands. “We have a responsibility to grow the category. Until the recent past, it was difficult to think about a 9,000 square feet beauty store. That’s where SS Beauty has taken a leap of faith,” he said.
A combination of factors led SS Beauty to launch its fourteenth store in Kolkata, an important market for the company. “Our number one store for Shoppers Stop is at South City Mall in Kolkata. So we know the market reasonably well,” he said.
Kolkata’s “proximity to the Northeast (India) and Bangladesh makes it an ideal destination where we can be assured that it’s not just the glitz and glamour that we create will work, but also the numbers.”
Quest Mall’s mix of brands also makes it a good fit to have a beauty store. The overall contribution of the beauty business to Shoppers Stop’s annual revenue is about 18 per cent. SS Beauty’s aim is to reach 20 per cent in the near future and 25 per cent in the mid-term, Kassim said.
Shoppers Stop’s expansion plans are in line with those targets. In 12 to 18 months across Shoppers Stop, SS Beauty and boutiques, about 30-35 stores are expected to be added. In 18-30 months, some 70 to 75 stores will be added.
