Four more companies of Klaipėda are preparing for housewarming in Stock-O complex: found no alternative in the port city
The number of future settlers of the shopping and service hub Stock-O developed by the real estate development company Galio Group in Baltijos Avenue, Klaipėda, is expanding: four more well-known companies engaged in various activities have joined the business community of the shopping mall – almost half of the newly constructed premises were leased. Entrepreneurs are unanimous in saying that Klaipėda has been seriously lacking such a business hub.
The company Vasarė engaged in bicycle sales, the interior goods store Dubingiai, the equipment and tools’ repair and rental store Elremta Mastermann representing the trademark “Technitis”, the specialised coffee shop Kavos žinovai have already made up their minds to settle in Stock-O complex. Together these companies will occupy an area of 1,020 m2.
Low offering of similar premises
Rytis Paulikaitis, manager of the company Vasarė engaged in bicycle sales says that the store is moving to the new premises from Klaipėda Old Town.
“Klaipėda, like other cities, sees a constant development of new projects, but there are not many new premises suitable for retail trade. Now we operate our store in the Old Town – the current premises are not suitable for our activities and we, therefore, face inconveniences in order to provide quality service to our customers. After all, we need space for testing of bikes, taking them outside, so it is important that there are no stairs to the street. In addition, our business needs a spacious and convenient parking lot in the vicinity so that customers can easily pick up their bikes and take them home,” says Paulikaitis.
According to him, another reason for choosing the premises in Stock-O complex was the flow of potential customers – Baltijos Avenue is the busiest artery of the port city.
Mantas Bikauskas, manager of the company Dubingiai, says that Stock-O has met the basic requirements of the company.
“We needed that the building we were going to move had an industrial style and that we could create a similar style in our showroom, so this space was perfect for our idea. The main things are easy access and parking for customers. The premises should allow us to create a cosy, exclusive space for our customers – the model of a large, shared retail space, where it is difficult for customers to distinguish between our space and other areas, did not suit us. Klaipėda does not have many places that could accommodate a similar business,” says Bikauskas.
Concentrating activities in one place
The company Solid Red, managing the brand “Kavos žinovai”, is planning that when they settle in the new shopping mall the management of their warehouse resources will become more efficient, they will be able to service wholesale customers more conveniently and quickly and to optimise the staff resources.
“We chose this location because there was a great lack of real estate objects of this conception in Klaipėda region. Until now, we had separate retail outlets and separate warehouses. We used to choose retail spaces in the largest shopping centres offering a large flow of visitors, but the biggest problem with them usually was storage due to lack of space. When choosing premises, we try to find a balance between the flow of customers and convenience of operations,” says Nerijus Užpurvis, manager of the company.
Believes in a business hub model
Nerimantas Miliauskas, manager of Elremta Mastermann, which supplies, repairs and rents modern machinery and tools for construction, agriculture and industry, says that the company has outgrown their former premises in Klaipėda and needed larger, more advanced and more comfortable premises for both business development and customer service.
“Vilnius and Kaunas can offer more places where our business could be settled, but Klaipėda today has a lack of choice for companies; hence, the project Stock-O, from the first moment, appeared to be a very suitable place to move in,” notes the company’s manager.
He notes that the decision to lease premises in Stock-O complex was primarily taken due to its strategic location in the city; furthermore, the former premises of the company are situated nearby, so it will not be difficult for the large number of loyal customers to get used to the new location.
“Convenience for our existing customers was one of the main factors in choosing where to move. We usually settle where people can visit other businesses of a similar profile when they come to visit us. Stock-O complex appears to be not a typical location for the business of our type, but we believe in the principle of such hubs or business valleys, and we think that this model can be beneficial for our business,” says the interlocutor.
Getting ready for housewarming
The first phase of the project is now fully built and leased, and 10 companies have opened their showrooms there. In the second phase of Stock-O project, the installation of the building’s structures is completed, the finishing works on the exterior façade are under way, the engineering systems are being installed, and the interior finishing works have started.
All construction and furnishing work is expected to be completed in autumn this year, and the premises will be handed over to the tenants in September. In addition to the above-mentioned companies, CF Nexus Klaipėda is preparing for the opening of the first crossfit sports club in the city, Šviestuvų pasaulis will join the ranks of the companies offering interior goods and services, Olansija, the company offering German-made home cleaning products and cosmetics, as well as the companies Litnobiles, Beautyfor LT and Spectra Baltic, are going to settle down at the shopping centre.
“No doubt, with this project we have hit exactly the segment of business premises which Klaipėda needed most. It is a modern, aesthetically attractive, fully comfortable environment for companies and their customers. The business community has almost been developed here and once all the companies have completed their move-in works, I am sure that Stock-O shopping and service complex will become a new centre of attraction in Klaipėda,” says Simonas Švėgžda, head of leasing at Galio Group.
The whole Stock-O complex consists of 35 units of stock-office premises with a total area of approximately 9,000 m2. Galio Group’s investment in the complex will amount to almost EUR 13 million, excl. VAT.
