Shopping Centers Today is the news magazine of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
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RET AILING TODA Y Single and loving it HAPPILY UNMARRIED CATERS TO INDIA'S YOUNG, SINGLE PROFESSIONALS By Madhusmita Bora R 22 SCT / AUGUST 2012 AHUL ANAND AND RAJAT TULI found themselves jobless nine years ago when their employer went belly up — owing them six months' pay. Having little more than their youth, a retail idea and a laptop from the job, they pawned the device for less than $1,000 in seed money to start their brand serving India's young professionals — the unmarried ones. "We always thought there was a space for a fun young Indian brand," said Anand. "Everything here is so family-oriented: Movies are made for families, restaurants cater to families. There was a need for a brand that celebrates the single professional — one that's very niche." Happily Unmarried, as the concept is called, sells T-shirts, tote bags, and a range of home items to India's young, trendy ur- banites from three company-owned stores, two franchise units and 60 multibrand stores. The merchandise is available also through retailers in Australia, France, the United Arab Emirates and the U.K. The business generated roughly $600,000 in revenue last year, and Anand is projecting $900,000 for this year. Having started with a single item — an ashtray that looks like an iron — at the concept's launch in 2003, Happily Unmarried now offers about 150 items, and Anand says the plan is to build the merchandise list to about 1,000 over the next three years. "I guess we are doing the right things at the right time," Anand said. "Our in- dustry is growing by leaps and bounds, and for the next five years, we expect a growth of 300 to 400 percent." The products are quirky, no doubt: There is the tissue holder that looks like a razor blade, and the coconut shell with a zipper in the middle for storing stuff. And, oh, yes, there is also yet another ash- tray, this one made in the form of an In- dian-style toilet. Clearly, these are meant to appeal to a very particular customer, one Anand describes as a single profes- sional between 30 and 40 who most likely has an iPad, a state-of-the-art cell phone and an offbeat sense of humor. Fortunately for the company, experts say there are plenty of such customers in India, and there will soon be even more — some 60 percent of the population is younger than 29, says Ankur Bisen,