NEXT store opens at Mega Pasaraya

JAKARTA (JP): PT Mitra Adiperkasa, the franchise holder of NEXT products in Indonesia, opened yesterday a NEXT store in Mega Pasaraya in Blok M, South Jakarta, an executive said.

Soetrisno, director of PT Mitra Adiperkasa, said that the new store, which was launched by Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief, is aimed at meeting a rising demand for quality clothing.

He said the new store in Mega Pasaraya is the company's fourth in the country.

The first is in Plaza Senayan, Central Jakarta, the second in Metro Pondok Indah Mall, South Jakarta, and the third in Galaxy Mall, in Surabaya.

He admitted that the rupiah plunge against the U.S. dollar had caused a slight drop in the turnover of NEXT products in Indonesia.

"But it will not necessarily make NEXT products' prices go sky high as they (prices) will rise only about 10 percent to 20 percent."

NEXT garments are produced by British firm Next Plc which has a distribution network in several countries.

Established in 1864, it now operates 300 stores in England and has 50 overseas franchised outlets, some are in the United States, the Middle East, Malta, Estonia, France, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan and Indonesia. (hhr)