Duka expands

Duka, the Swedish retailer of glassware, porcelain, kitchenware and gift items, is expanding its presence on the Polish market. The number of Duka stores in the country is set to increase from 21 at present to 40 by 2010.

The retailer already has a strong presence in Warsaw, with stores in major retail centers, notably in Złote Tarasy, next door to Warsaw Central Station. Other stores in the capital include those in the retail centers Galeria Mokotów and Klif, which is where Duka opened its first store in Poland, in 1999. The company's country manager for Poland, Magda Grzybowska, revealed that new Duka stores will be opened both in cities where the company is already present, and cities to which it is completely new.

"At the moment, Duka is present in 11 Polish cities. New shops are going to be opened in Warsaw, Poznań, Wrocław, Szczecin, Kraków, Gdańsk and Gdynia, which are all cities where we already have stores - but we are also going to open stores in cities where we have none as yet: Lublin, Bydgoszscz, Gliwice, Bielsko-Biała, Białystok, Kielce, Płock and Toruń."

Grzybowska explained that Swedish design is well-received in Poland.

"Swedish design means modern shapes and patterns, minimalist form and fashionable colors. At our shops, we offer an entire range of household products, which are stylishly presented to customers," she added.

Grzybowska refuted the suggestion that Duka's success in Poland is connected to the ongoing boom in the residential property market.

"Our customers are not only new homeowners; they are also those seeking to refresh and renew their household equipment. We have worked hard to build a relationship with our customers, and we have now achieved a level of customer loyalty and trust in our brand," Grzybowska said.