Gone are the days when fans were restricted to the ceiling. They have today become an integral part of the interior design and not just a practical necessity. Anemos, a luxury fans and home décor store, stocks a wide array of fans ranging from the classic to the progressively modern. Nivedita Jayaram Pawar spoke to the man behind the store – Rajkumar Jain.
Founded by best friends from school, Rajkumar Jain and Nipoon Agrawal, Anemos stocks designer fans that blend 21st-century technology with timeless design. From stunning single-blade fans to multi-blades, traditional classic styles to contemporary designs, the range of Anemos fans effortlessly combines modernity with tradition. In addition, the ceiling fans come with adequate lighting, thus eliminating the need for additional lights. It all started when Jain was redoing his home in 2002. “I was looking for fans that would do justice to the aesthetic sensibilities we had employed for the rest of the house. I realised that there were no options available for those who wanted to adorn the ceilings of their homes or offices with beauty and design without compromising on the functionality,” recollects Jain. His research led to the fact that there was a huge market for luxury designer fans in India. So along with childhood friend Agrawal, Jain set out to beautify humdrum ceilings across the country.
The beginnings
The first Anemos store was launched in 2004. The 900 sq.ft. store at Raghuvanshi Mills, Mumbai had only 13 fans in display. “Initially, we had to struggle educating the clients. People preferred to use air conditioners to beat the heat even though it was an unhealthy choice of lifestyle. Moreover, there were hardly any choices for beautiful fans and customers had to opt for industrial fans. Today, people realise that a ceiling fan is not only aesthetic and energy saving but offers several health benefits,” says Jain. Anemos brought in fans that not only functioned well but also added character to the room they were placed in. These fans are hung on a flat boly system, which is superior to the hook-hung ceiling fans which are prone to swaying with side breeze.
The range
Anemos is inspired by and named after the mythological Greek God of Winds. The sprawling twin-levelled Mumbai store displays an enviable collection of international designer fans located at the lower level, while the upper level hosts restored antique furniture including artefacts, wall-cocks, paintings, wall lights, ceiling lights, four-post beds, desks, chairs, tables, cabinets and chests. The period furniture is curated and restored by a team headed by Jain himself. The price range for fans starts at Rs. 6,000. Wall lights are priced at Rs. 3,000 onwards, a wall clock for Rs. 6,000 onwards and an artefact can be purchased for close to Rs. 250. Anemos sources fans from leading brands and designers from USA, Brazil, Europe, Taiwan and China. “We are the sole distributors for our American, Brazilian and British counterparts who have a range of patented products; the products are manufactured in licensed factories in Taiwan, China and Malaysia. The furniture is mostly sourced from all over India,” informs Jain.
Jain believes that fans and furniture can be – and should be – as sophisticated and stunning as they are functional. Some of the unique fans at Anemos include the special monsoon fans, which can be used particularly in the rainy season without worrying about damage or rusting. Over seven years, the company has pioneered several innovations such as the single-blade fan, blade-less fans, fans with diffused lighting, whisper sound technology fans, energy conserving fans, etc. Some of these fans come with an option of lights and can be controlled by a remote control. For colder regions of India, Anemos has a special range of reversible blade fans where the blades rotate in anti-clockwise direction and pull the cold air upwards to create warmth.
The challenges
There were many hurdles for a retail concept like Anemos. The fact that luxury fans are more expensive than air conditioners tops the list. “People have a mind block. We are creating awareness in several ways to educate clients, architects and interior designers about the importance of these fans,” says Jain. The other major challenge is acquiring large spaces and the ever-increasing land cost. Initial costs of stocking are high for a concept store like Anemos but the company achieves economies of scale by adding showrooms every year, which helps in spreading the costs evenly.
Retail presence and store dynamics Currently, there are four company-owned Anemos stores (2 in Mumbai and one each in Ahmedabad and Gurgaon). Additionally, there are three franchise stores, one each in Kolkata, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. The average store size of an Anemos store is approximately 2,000 sq.ft. and the overall investment is about Rs. 25 lakh. It takes an average time of one year to break even and start making profits.
Going ahead
Anemos plans to open franchise stores across metros and Tier-II cities in India. “We planned to add eight showrooms pan India in 2013, a target we have successfully achieved. In the near future, we are looking at opening stores in New Delhi, Ludhiana, Cochin, and Chennai and internationally in Dubai. Our target for this year is roughly 5–6 stores,” reveals Jain. Apart from increasing the existing range of products, Jain also plans to go online and take Anemos to South East Asia.
