Romanian restaurant group expands into retail with traditional products store

Romanian restaurant group City Grill has opened a grocery store selling traditional local products following a EUR 80,000 investment. The store, called Pravalia lui Manuc, is located close to Hanu' lui Manuc restaurant, hosted in the refurbished inn of the same name in the capital’s Old Town.

The store targets both local clients and tourists, many of whom stop by the nearby the Hanul lu’ Manuc restaurant. The opening also fits the group’s plan to highlight the capital’s historical buildings.

“The space available next to the Inn was to small to allow an expansion of the restaurant. This is why, knowing that the area was known in the interwar period for the variety of stores located here, we let this be an inspiration and decided to open a grocery store, a replica-store of those times. Since the tourist traffic to Hanu’ lui Manuc during the summer season is very high, as it is one of the attraction points of the capital, the store comes as a natural expansion, offering a sample of traditional Romanian products, a souvenir to round up the experience of our culture,” Daniel Mischie, the CEO of City Grill Group, explained.

During the summer season, over 50% of the clients of the Hanul lu’ Manuc restaurant are foreigners, coming as organized groups for which the venue is an attraction point but also as individual visitors looking to visit city landmarks, the restaurant group explained. It expects the ratio to be similar in the case of the newly-opened store and the group is considering expanding the product offer to include a souvenir and gift shop.

For local customers, the products in the store’s offer will become available in the coming period on the delivery platforms where Hanul lu’ Manuc restaurant is also present.

The store has a total surface of 103 sqm, on three levels. It also has a 45-seat space for various tastings. Pravalia lui Manuc retails a variety of jams, cheeses, meat products, vegetable spreads, wines and other alcoholic products, all made following local recipes.

Established in 2004, City Grill Group operates restaurants and cafes under the brands Caru’ Cu Bere, Hanu’ lui Manuc, Pescarus, Hanu’ Berarilor, Trattoria Buongiorno, City Grill and City Café.

(Photos courtesy of the company)