Benetton Challenges the severe Russian winter

With the opening of a store in Yakutsk

Ponzano, July 20 1998. The coldest Benetton store in the world opens in Yakutsk, in Russia, on the edge of an area where the winter temperature drops to -50o centigrade. The new store, which is also the first to be opened in the city by a Western brand, will have an area of about 150 square meters and will be offering the United Colors of Benetton collections for men and women, as well as the Zerododici lines for babies and children.

With its 300,000 inhabitants, the city of Yakutsk is the ancient capital (founded more than 300 years ago) of the Russian Republic of Yakut, which is six times the size of France. The main activities of the region, which has summers that are hot (+27oC) but short (no more than a couple of months), are associated with the export of diamonds, gold, furs and timber.

The Benetton Group has a total of 30 stores in Russia and in the other ex Soviet Republics, of which 12 in Moscow, including the modern megastores opened in the Manège Shopping Mall and in the famous Gum Stores, which front onto Red Square. Overall, Benetton has more than 200 stores in Eastern Europe.

 

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