Romanian footwear manufacturer Denis, owned by local investors Ilie and Ana Cornea, plans to open 10 new stores in Romania and abroad this year, reaching a total of 45 stores, and targets a 10-15 percent increase in turnover.

Last year, Denis opened four new stores in Bucharest, Galati and abroad in Kiev, and its plans for the next five years include a network of 100 stores.

According to Ana Cornea, quoted by local Wall-street.ro, the investment in a store amounts to EUR 250,000.

The company, which owns a factory in Romania’s Suceava that employs 300 people, ended 2013 with a turnover of EUR 9 million, according to Wall-street.ro.

Besides the employees in the manufacturing unit, Denis also employs 120 people in its 35 stores, operated under three brands - All Shoes, Why Denis and Denis.

“If we were to make a ranking of the best performing stores, that would be the ones in Kiev, Baneasa Shopping City and AFI Cotroceni. We make the highest sales during March-August and November-December,” said Ana Cornea, quoted by Wall-street.ro.

In the Denis stores in Kiev the company sells the most expensive product in its portfolio, which is a pair of boots accessorized with crystals, the price reaching EUR 2,000. The manufacturer sold 30 pairs of these boots.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com