Mobilochka to rebrand 300 stores by 2014

The Mobilochka chain of mobile communications, part of Mobile Synergy Group, today has opened its first rebranded store in Odesa and plans by the end of 2013 to rebrand about 300 stores, Director General of Mobile Synergy Group Anton Volodkin has said.

"From today we are starting the rebranding of our network. Today we have opened the first store in Odesa. We plan to rebrand 50 stores by the end of this year and another 250 stores by the end of 2013. The total amount is about 300 stores. The other stores are either very small or operating under other brands," Volodkin said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Wednesday.

According to him, the replacement of a sign for one shop costs from $1,000 to $3,000.

"Accordingly, we can roughly calculate the sum - it will exceed $1 million," he said.

Speaking about the plans to expand the network, Volodkin said that the holding is ready to expand the Mobilochka chain to 500-600 stores.

"As for the number of stores, we have no exact figure. We ranged from 380 to 430 stores. We are ready to expand the network to 500-600 stores, but this will depend on the situation on the rent market, the economic situation and the availability of a good location. In general, we are satisfied with the amount now," he said.

Volodkin has not announced the expected total sales in the network this year in monetary terms, noting that the expected growth over 2012 would be 22-23%, whereas in 2010 there was actually no growth.