Mega M to open in North Jakarta

Mega M to open in North Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): Retail giant Mega M, owned by the Matahari
Group, will open its first branch at the Mega Mall in Pluit,
North Jakarta tomorrow.

"It is about time for us to open a store in the northern part
of the city, especially considering that other areas of the city
have already been inundated with stores," Herman Darmawan,
Managing Director of PT Matahari Putra Prima, said at a press
conference yesterday.

The new branch will be implementing a similar concept as the
Mega M in Lippo Karawaci Mall in Tangerang, West Java, which has
been attracting, on average, 50,000 visitors per weekend, said
Herman.

The Karawaci branch reaps an average of Rp 10 billion (US$ 4.2
million) in monthly revenues, he added.

"We will be doing just fine if the new Mega M can make around
Rp 100 billion a year, meaning that our principal will break even
in one or two years," Herman said.

The Mega M store's uniqueness is owed to, in part, its
supermarket-like method of service, where customers are free to
roam around the while not being bothered by over-attentive shop
attendants, which are prominent at other Matahari-owned stores,
Herman added.

Besides Mega M, other stores owned by Matahari include
Galleria, for the mid-to-upper class group, Matahari, for the
general public and Super Ekonomi, geared for small-town
residents. All Matahari outlets claim to prioritize local
industries and merchandise sold in their shops.

North Jakarta Mayor Suprawito is scheduled to inaugurate the
1.75 hectare shop area tomorrow. The store's compound comprises
four floors, making it the Pluit Mega Mall's major tenant.

Herman added that Mega M is the first store to open in the
Pluit Mega Mall. Other stores are not scheduled to open until
October. (14)