Stirixis Group launches new retail concept of Enel national chain in Romania

STIRIXIS Group, the Internationally awarded Company for Strategy, Design and Execution, reveals its unique concept for the ENEL Flagship Store in Romania.

The concept of new stores, implemented across the network of over 80 shops, has been based on buliding a positive and unique customer experience by creating a friendly and comfortable retail model that emphasizes the idea of personalized service  paired withthe use of advanced technology. More details about this project and other ones one Roumanian market give us Alex Athanassoulas, CEO & President of STIRIXIS Group.

1. Please name three soul projects realized by your team in the past year.

Many projects were realized by our Romanian Team last year, in Romania as well as abroad.  If I had to choose three, these would be the network of stores and the unique flagship of Enel Romania, the awarded as best in the world for its design, Emerald chain of medical centers and the also awarded Mister Baker chain of cake shops in the UAE.

2. Which is the best business segment for your business in Romania?

STIRIXIS Group has completed more than 650 projects in 24 countries.  We work successfully in almost all industries and we base our design in strategy and customer experience.  If I really had to choose for Romania, I would say three retail, food concepts and offices (not necessarily in this order)

3. What did the Enel project mean to your team? Please give us some details.

Designing ENEL’s project was a challenge.  We started with different stores, sizes and shapes across the country and created a retail concept that was based in communicating ENEL’s leadership and values as well as optimizing customer experience.

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We worked closely with ENEL’s team to also structure and optimize the roll-out time and costs and have created a model that allows stores to be faster and more efficiently executed.  During the last year, we started designing the Flagship store.  A unique concept store which truly represents the open energy of ENEL and portrays its forward thinking and values.

I believe it is one of the best retail concept stores in Europe, a landmark that everyone should visit.  The result and the recognition of our collaboration has made us very happy and proud.  We look forward to continuing the chain of stores now, having such a flagship to promote them.

4. What do you think about Bucharest architecture?

We are thrilled when it comes to Architecture in Bucharest.  A city that combines the old heritage in Architecture with all the new trends, a forward-thinking design society that produces great concepts and ideas and young professionals committed in moving forward.

We love working in, from and for Romania.  And we are indeed very proud of our team and the success of what we have created, designed or managed for our clients so far

5. You are a top manager, leader of one of Europe’s best architecture firms. Can you tell us what market was the hardest to conquer or convince from your point of view?

We have worked in 24 countries up to now, from Russia to Nigeria and from Scandinavia to Oman, UAE and Saudi Arabia.  There are huge differences in these markets, there is no doubt.  I remember a few years ago when I would travel within the same week to Moscow, Russia then to Zurich, Switzerland and then to Lagos, Nigeria.

The truth, however, is that on a professional level, when you work with high standards and important clients, it is easy to build a common understanding, define project success and work together to ensure it.  Different markets have different challenges.

Switzerland can be difficult for being inflexible and slow, while Nigeria for the scarcity of services and products and the bureaucracy at every step.   Our experience in all the markets is positive.  We have managed to adapt, or overcome obstacles, or find alternative means but at the end, the result was always above expectations.

6. How many employees do you have in Bucharest and do you intend to develop business in here?

We have a growing team in Bucharest, 6 active design members and a network for support and complementary skills.  We aim to develop this much further and soon create a much bigger team.  We manage all Romania and Middle East projects from Bucharest and both markets are growing fast for us.