Odyssey India Ltd has recently opened its largest Chennai store at Express Avenue mall. The 25,000 sq.ft store is the retailer’s second-largest store in India. In Chennai, Odyssey also has two standalone stores in Adyar (13,200 sq.ft) and Anna Nagar (13,000 sq.ft).
The store at Express Avenue, set up with a total investment of Rs.9.75 crore, promises to provide a warm and relaxed environment for customers to browse through the varied offerings, including specially imported and exclusive graphic novel collections.
“It is our first store with the revamped concept design. The new concept by New Zealand design firm ‘Redesign’ is a fusion of colours, materials and elements. The vibrant section headers and visual elements give a very expressive form to the sections and the store as a whole,” says T S Ashwin, MD, Odyssey India Ltd.
Giving details of the range of merchandise, including the price range, Ashwin says, “We have changed the concept for this store by combining elements and colours of our two earlier design concepts, thereby giving it a more international and casual look. As with every other Odyssey store, the layout is not suffocating and there is a lot of space for customers to relax.”
A wide choice
The large book section offers customers a wide choice – from top Indian writers to international bestsellers – across a gamut of subjects from popular fiction to business and management.
The children’s area includes bright coloured elements through seating and flooring. The store also stocks a wide range of digital audio players, gadgets, multimedia and accessories from international brands and top Indian brands. The store is also a gamer’s paradise as it stocks an extensive range of multimedia titles and accessories including PlayStation.
“Toys cover an exclusive range including educational and scientific toys, musical toys, beach sets and role play sets. The store also stocks Hornby train sets ranging from Rs.4300 to Rs.20,800 available exclusively in the Chennai store. The gifts and home décor section has unique product ranges including impulse gifts, Indian souvenirs, exciting accessories, jute and leather collections, aromatic products, special sandalwood craft items, crystal-ware, jewellery, watches, perfumes and crockery, among other things,” Ashwin says.
He adds, “The Ed Hardy car accessories will also be found as a special range in the gifts section. The stationery section houses all top brands of office, home and children’s stationery with extraordinary stitch and play kits, assortment of other hobby items and art material.”
Further expansion
Odyssey India Ltd plans to open a 12,000 sq.ft store in Coimbatore, at Brookefields Mall, in October this year. “There are a few other express stores that will be opened in the next few months in Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai,” confirms Ashwin.
Besides Chennai, Odyssey’s large format stores are located at Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad (38,000 sq.ft); K Star mall, Mumbai (18,173 sq.ft); Focus mall, Calicut, (17,900 sq.ft); Indira Nagar, Bangalore (16,500 sq.ft); and Great India Place mall, Noida (14,000 sq.ft).
On the company’s plans to launch large format stores in North India, Ashwin says, “Currently we are focusing on stores that have already been signed up; these are mostly in South. We are looking for options, but are not in a hurry. If we do find any good standalone property or space in a mall at commercially viable terms, we will take it up.”
Odyssey has already forayed into e-commerce with its website Odyssey360. Though the website is operational, the official launch is yet to happen. “The official launch has been delayed as we are incorporating changes in the website, based on customer feedback. We will soon be revamping the site.”
Odyssey India Ltd, a 100 per cent subsidiary of Deccan Chronicle Holdings Ltd, has a total of 52 operational stores in 14 cities.
— Diwakar Kumar
