Gap opens 1st store in Poland as its enters region

WARSAW, Poland – The U.S. clothing giant Gap opened its first store in Poland on Thursday as part of its push to establish a foothold in central and eastern Europe even as the region faces an economic slowdown.

Some 200 shoppers waited for the opening at the Polish capital's Arkadia mall and applauded when the doors opened. They then filed in to check out denim trousers, shirts, blouses and T-shirts. Some said the prices were only slightly higher than at other stores selling similar casual wear and are justified by the quality.
"Gap clothes are very durable and comfortable to wear," said Elzbieta Zarzycka, 61, shopping for trousers for herself and items for her two granddaughters, aged 3 and 5.

"They have fantastic clothes for children — nice, colorful. You don't get such in Poland."

Gap and its Polish franchise partner, Ultimate Fashion, are planning to open more stores in Poland next year and then expand to other countries in the region, where there is still an appetite for U.S. clothing brands not yet present in the region, said Ultimate Fashion marketing director, Anna Lacka.

"We are starting Gap's march on central and eastern Europe here," she said.

More shops are to open next year in other Polish cities, including Katowice, Krakow and Wroclaw, she said.
The closest Gap shops in the region are in Ukraine and in Serbia, which opened two months ago.

The shop in Warsaw offers the latest in Gap fashion.

These are the "same items that we have in New York and the same as we have in London," said Gabriella Neumann, a brand manager for Gap.

Gap said it is focused on increasing its share of the $1.4 trillion global apparel market. Through 2014 it wants to double the number of its franchise stores to 400.

Its expansion internationally comes as it is closing dozens of its stores in the United States.