Odyssey forays into lifestyle retailing with ‘Editions’

Intro: Will open another four mall format stores within this fiscal

Diversifying its retail operations, Odyssey India Ltd (OIL) has forayed into lifestyle retailing with the launch of its first premium / luxury pen store Editions. A wholly owned subsidiary of Deccan Chronicle Holdings Ltd, this will be Odyssey’s second retail venture out of books, music, gifts etc. The first one was its foray into hi-fashion, designer sunglasses and prescription eyewear segment with ‘The Eyewear Store’.

Having launched its first 650 sq ft store at at Ampa Skywalk Mall, Chennai, Odyssey is looking to open another 4 stores within this fiscal. The new stores will largely be part of shopping malls (mall format stores) and will come up in Palladium (Mumbai), Inorbit Mall (Hyderabad), Mantri Mall (Bangalore) and Express Avenue Mall (Chennai).

Positioned as a destination for fine writing instruments and accessories, Editions’ offerings a range including basic, premium to luxury and limited editions from brands like Visconti, Krone, David Oscarson, Marlen, Stipula, Kynsey, Curtis, Onoto, Waldmann, Franklin Christoph, Diplomat, Online, Think, Signum and Parafernalia to name some.

Price range for pens will start from as low as Rs. 2000 in the basic collections, be between Rs. 10000 to Rs. 50000 for the premium brands and go up to even Rs. 10 lakhs for luxury and limited edition pens. There is a fabulous range of Quill pens from Francisco Rubinato (Italy). These come in bright hues and different forms and are a great collectors’ item and a fantastic gifting option too. And the prices start from as low as Rs. 750 onwards.

A select range of these pens and accessories is also present as an extension of the lifestyle segment in Odyssey’s large format stores in Adyar, Anna Nagar in Chennai, Jubilee Hills & Vikrampuri in Hyderabad, Indira Nagar in Bangalore and K-Star Mall & R-City Mall in Mumbai.

The Editions website (www.editions.in) will be unveiled shortly with the objective of providing information in the initial stage. Within the next 6 months, the site will be e-commerce enabled and allow customers to buy pens directly on the site or get information on new and forthcoming releases.