With overall revenue ranging between EUR7 million and EUR10 million per year, the almost 20 units are daily trying to attract the almost 20,000 corporate people working in Piata Victoriei offices, as well as passersby.
In 2013 alone, over 2,200 people moved offices to the central area of the city.
The last unit opened in the area, less than two weeks ago, is Gloria Jeans coffee shop, located across the street from America House office building. The 110-square meter shop opened in a franchise held by Cristian Stefanescu, the entrepreneur who also owns the Subway restaurant nearby.
“The area is a hub and I thought that people working here want an alternative to Starbucks,” says Stefanescu, without providing revenue estimates for the coffee shop.
McDonald’s, Starbucks, Spring Time, Trattoria Buongiorno (part of City Grill), Café Antipa, BeNat or Haagen Dazs also opened shop in the area.
The first to feel the potential of the area was Spring Time, which opened the first unit of the group more than two decades ago.
The office area at the heart of Bucharest has attracted a rising number of companies lately owing to its position. This business hub cumulates 220,000 square meters of office spaces, of which 90% are rented out.
The last building to open its “gates” in the area is Tower Center International, which in early 2013 announced its first tenant, Hidroelectrica.
The new building and the new tenants have attracted a rising number of restaurants and coffee shops.
“The area is appealing since as many as 29,000 people come here daily. There are corporate people and students of schools nearby, as well as businesspeople setting meetings here,” says Dan Stoicescu, development manager at Gloria Jeans, a chain of 10 coffee shops and turnover of EUR2.8 million last year.
Stoicescu expects the Piata Victoriei unit to attract 320-330 persons daily when it reaches maturity.
Haagen Dazs, an ice-cream and coffee shop held by Costas Kapetanopoulos, a former marketing and communication manager of Cosmote in Romania, also opened a unit in the area less than one year ago.
Kapetanopoulos says he chose the area as he knew people working here have above-average salaries. He states the area is good for the business as there are more parking spaces than in other areas and there’s easy access to the subway.
The Haagen Dazs shop replaced restaurant City Grill, which Dragos Petrescu chose to close in late 2013, as it generated no profit.
He also holds Trattoria Buongiorno in the area, part of the same City Grill network.
Kapetanopoulos says he would continue to invest in the area as it has potential. He owns another unit in Baneasa Shopping City and is seeking other premium spaces.
(English version by Catalina Apostoiu)