Hero group forays into lifestyle segment

NEW DELHI: The Hero group has launched its own chain of home design products in the capital and plans to roll out 16-18 stores across the country with an initial capital outlay of Rs 42 crore.

Charu Munjal, one of the promoters of the initiative, said, "We plan to launch 16-18 stores all over the country by this year end. We plan to go alone for the time being and we are not ready for franchising as yet."

The first store - OMA - launched in Khan market in the capital on Tuesday, has an awesome collection of home décor products, most of which are imported from Europe especially Denmark, while some are also sourced domestically from Muradabad.

Munjal has partnered with Gagan and Rohini Khosla of Stalwart Homestyles. Stalwart Homestyles supplies home products to international retail chains like Crate & Barrel, Habitat, Bloomingdales.
   
"We sensed a great vacuum in this segment that needed a corporate-driven, luxury-oriented home decor brand. Hence, OMA offers Indian home makers elements of refined living that they have so far painstakingly shopped from abroad and then lugged it all the way back home. Now they can get the same perfection in their own country/city," says Pankaj Munjal, MD of Hero Motors.

The store has a great collection of china clay, fine porcelain, silver and glass ware, bath and spa accessories, decorative candles et al.
   
"Our USP is that we have a very good sourcing and wares are very reasonably priced. We have got a fantastic response from the visitors, architects, designers," Charu Mujal added.
   
Second 'OMA' store will be launched at Saket in the national capital in a few days, she added.