Romanian mobile phone accessories retailer Contakt opens third location in Czechia

Contakt, a major player in Romania’s mobile phone accessories retail market, is expanding to three locations in the Czech Republic less than eight months after its first opening.

Contakt’s third location in the Czech Republic will open on November 1, 2026, at the Westfield Černý Most shopping center in Prague. The company is retaining the retail island format for all three locations, the same operating model tested and consolidated in Romania.

According to the company, the pace of expansion allows the company to move from the pilot stage to accelerated development in the first half of 2027, while the target of 20-30 points of sale in the Czech Republic remains valid in the medium term.

“The Czech Republic was a real test for our ability to export a business model built in Romania. The fact that we are reaching three locations in less than a year and that the results confirm our expectations gives us the confidence that we can accelerate,” said Eduard Tudose, National Sales Director at Contakt.

The next market Contakt is closely analyzing is Bulgaria, where the company is assessing development opportunities and the potential of its business model. The planned timeline calls for the opening of a local operational office in the first half of next year, followed by the first stores in the second half of 2027.

The choice of Bulgaria as the second foreign market was based on an analysis of the market, competition, and consumer behavior, the company said.

In the longer term, Contakt is also analyzing expansion opportunities in Serbia, Slovakia, and Hungary, targeting markets with a profile similar to Romania, where its business model can be replicated and adapted to local specifics. The regional expansion strategy targets both organic growth through the opening of new locations and the acquisition of existing chains in foreign markets.

Founded in 2002 in Timișoara, Contakt currently operates around 240 stores across Romania, mainly located in shopping malls in major cities, covering more than 98% of such commercial galleries. Its portfolio includes smartphone accessories such as cases, screen protectors, chargers, and gadgets, alongside services including professional phone cleaning and data transfer.

In December 2025, Contakt conducted an IPO on the Bucharest Stock Exchange. At the end of the subscription period, the offering had attracted just over 375 orders to purchase approximately 728,000 shares, representing only 19.9% of the total 3.66 million shares put up for sale.

Most of these subscriptions, with an aggregate value of RON 2.78 million (approximately EUR 625,000), were concentrated at the minimum price of RON 4.30 per share. The market operation had a success condition stipulated in the offering prospectus, requiring the sale of 3.10 million shares. As such, the IPO failed.