Matahari to reopen in Lippo Supermal on Friday
Matahari to reopen in Lippo Supermal on Friday
TANGERANG (JP): Over a year after the May 1998 riots, PT
Matahari Putra Prima Tbk will reopen on Friday its 53rd Matahari
supermarket in Karawaci's Lippo Supermal.
Group general manager Rendi Parengkuan said on Wednesday that
the Matahari supermarket would offer a wide range of fresh
products, cakes and bread, household accessories, toys, health
goods, and electronic goods at an "attractive price".
Rendi declined to elaborate on the pricing structure, but said
the Matahari price tags would be much lower than the cost of
similar items offered by other big retailers.
Occupying a 5,500-square-meter space on the first floor of the
two-story mall, the supermarket is designed to strengthen the
group's one-stop shopping concept.
"In short, we're trying to meet the lifestyle of our
customers, not only their daily needs," Rendi said.
He said Matahari, one of the country's largest retailers, had
spent Rp 12 billion (US$1.4 million) for the reopening of the
supermarket, which would occupy the former site of the Wal Mart
shopping center.
"Another Rp 8 million is financing our department store on the
second floor, right above the supermarket, which is scheduled to
be opened on Nov. 20."
He acknowledged that a large percentage of the investment was
paid for by the insurance company that handled the group's two
outlets -- Mega M and Galeria -- which were badly burned and
looted during the 1998 mayhem.
"But we're still waiting for more money from the insurance
company," Rendi said.
Matahari Millenia
The company earlier announced that it would be constructing
the Matahari Millenia project on the first and second floor in
the mall's west wing.
"The Matahari Millenia is Matahari's pilot project in its
efforts to face tough business competition in the new
millennium," Heru Nasution, retail and operations director at PT
Supermal, the mall's management company, said two months ago.
At the time he said Matahari Millenia would comprise two
outlets: a department store on the first floor and a supermarket
on the second floor.
With the opening of the supermarket, Matahari would close its
Bazaar Mega M mini supermarket at the American-style shopping
mall, Rendi said.
He said the company had projected it would reach a break-even-
point in three to four months.
"We rent the space here at Rp 1.2 million per square meter per
month.
The supermarket has 250 staff and 3,000 suppliers for the
goods.
"About 10 percent of the goods to be offered are imported
items, such as toys, household goods and electronic goods," Rendi
said.
The supermal, which has been reopened in stages over the past
two months, sustained serious fire damage and looting on May 14,
1998. Although there is only a trickle of customers, vendors have
been gradually reopening their businesses.
"We have to open this mall in stages due to various reasons,
such as financial reasons with the insurance companies," public
relations officer with the Matahari Group Harry Sudewo said on
Wednesday.
He said Matahari currently had 75 department stores across the
country, including 28 outlets in Jakarta.
"Fifty of them are accompanied by supermarkets," he said.
Asked about the influx of many newcomers in the Indonesian
retailer business, Rendi said: "They're not our real competitors
because we have our own segments, strengths and customers.
"Look at the class of our fashion, for example. They (their
rival competitors) are nothing," he said. (bsr)