Warner Bros to open in Indonesia

JAKARTA (JP): Warner Bros Studio Stores of the United States and PT Putra Warner Perkasa, a subsidiary of PT Putra Surya Perkasa (PSP), signed an agreement yesterday allowing the latter to open stores in Indonesia under the name of the former.

The agreement was signed by Peter Starret, president of Warner Bros, and Trijono Gondokusumo, the chief executive officer of the PSP group, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel here.

"Given the popularity of our properties and characters across Asia, we are certain that our stores will prove to be as successful in Indonesia as they have already been in Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan" Starret said.

Putra Warner Perkasa will reportedly open seven stores in Jakarta, Surabaya and Bali in the next five years.

The first store is to be opened in January 1997 on a 1,000- square meter space at the Taman Anggrek Mall in Tomang, West Jakarta, which is currently under construction.

Thus far, Warner Bros has 127 stores in the United States, 11 in Europe, 9 in Asia and one in Australia. The ten stores in Asia include three in Japan, three in Hong Kong and three in Singapore.

Warner Bros stores sell clothing, stationery, toys and videos. In the beginning, everything will be imported, but the PSP group is thinking of producing them domestically.

The PSP group is a conglomerate with interests in retailing, property development and consumer finance.

The PSP group's retail division has the franchises of several international brands, such as Gianni Versace, Ermenegildo Zegna, MCM and Daniel Coach. It is also the exclusive distributor of the cosmetics and fragrances of Clarins, Givenchy and Giorgio Beverly Hills. (jsk)