Tag: Starbucks

WeWork to Launch its ‘Custom Buildout’ Business in Spain

28 March 2019 – Idealista

The US co-working company WeWork is studying the rental of entire buildings in Spain to dedicate to its custom buildout business. The service offers large corporations assets fitted out and managed by the brand. The company is already looking at potential properties in Barcelona.

WeWork now has ten co-working office spaces in Madrid and Barcelona (5 in each city), but its plan is to offer large corporations a new service that would house their headquarters and manage all of their needs, leveraging the firm’s know-how in the office management segment.

According to its business model, WeWork speaks to its clients first to understand their needs and desires. It then searches for the best offers, assumes the risks of a long-term contract and the capital investment, and manages the property for the company on an on-going basis, offering services such as fresh fruit, water and security, as well as events for employees.

In this way, the firm would start to compete directly with stalwarts of the sector such as CBRE, JLL, Savills Aguirre Newman and Cushman&Wakefield.

WeWork already offers this service to several corporates around the world, including Starbucks, Facebook, Adidas, Salesforce, Blackrock and Citi, amongst others.

Original story: Idealista (by Custodio Pareja)

Translation/Summary: Carmel Drake

Compagnie Secures Financing for Spain’s Largest New Shopping Centre

28 November 2017 – Expansión

Yesterday, the French group Compagnie de Phalsbourg managed to close financing, amounting to €157 million, for its first shopping centre in Spain: the Open Sky centre in Torrejón de Ardoz (Madrid), according to Expansión.

The establishment will have a gross leasable area of 85,000 m2, will house 100 stores, 3,500 parking spaces and a large garden area with a central lake.

To obtain the necessary resources for its project, Compagnie de Phalsbourg has resorted to non-bank financing through a competitive process. Sources close to the operation maintain that a single fund has subscribed 100% of the financing. According to the same sources, it is a fund based in the City of London, specialising in the real estate sector.

“This process is a boost for Spain because it shows that international investors, in this case, French and British players, see potential in Spain”, say financial sources. The crisis in Cataluña has not affected the process in this case, whose negotiations started long before the tension escalated in that regard.

The French group expects that Open Sky will be inaugurated by the end of next year. In fact, the first earth movement work has now begun and the land that Compagnie acquired for €110 million from the Town Hall of Torrejón in 2015 is being prepared (…).

The company has already signed agreements with around twenty fashion labels, accessories brands and service providers, including with many high-profile names such as Adidas, Reebok, Decimas, OVS, Okaidi, Merkal, Kiwoko, Orchestra, RKS, Celio, Encuentro Moda and Druni, amongst others. Moreover, the shopping centre will have 11 Cinesa cinema screens with capacity for 1,200 people and it has already signed agreements with restaurant groups such as the Vips group, with its five brands (Vips, Fridays, Ginos, Wagamama and Starbucks); the Zena group (Fosters and Cañas y Tapas) and the Restalia group (100 Montaditos and La Sureña).

Once Open Sky is fully operational, it is expected to generate approximately 1,000 new jobs in the region.

The Spanish investment boutique Alantra has served as the sole advisor to the operation for the French group. In addition, Alantra has advised the firm on three other projects in Spain. Meanwhile, Clifford Chance and Uría have been responsible for providing legal advice (…).

Original story: Expansión (by Andrés Stumpf)

Translation: Carmel Drake

Luxury Brands Flood Barcelona’s Paseo De Gracia

22 September 2017 – Eje Prime

Paseo de Gracia is getting ready to renew its portfolio of brands. The street, one of the most sought-after in Spain for international luxury, will see the arrival of three new firms over the next few months. According to modaes.es, Christian Louboutin and Isabel Marant will both open their second stores in the Spanish market, whilst Fendi is going to make its debut in the country.

Those three firms will soon play their part in a busy year for Paseo de Gracia. On Tuesday, the Barcelona street witnessed the public opening of Uniqlo’s first establishment in Spain, whilst a week ago, Kiabi was in the limelight, when it opened a store at number 11.

In February, H&M opened its largest establishment in the Spanish market on Paseo de Gracia in the Generali building, and in April, Sandro, owned by the French group SMCP, opened its first store on the street at number 37.

Isabel Marant, who already has one store in Madrid, has signed the lease at number 32 on Paseo de Gracia, after the investment fund BMO Real Estate Partners decided to split the premises occupied by Adolfo Dominguez in two.

The arrival of Isabel Marant in Barcelona comes just a few months after the investment fund Montefiere Investment acquired 51% of the share capital in the French company, with the aim of accelerating its development and geographical expansion (…).

Meanwhile, Christian Louboutin will take over the Starbuck’s store on the avenue. The US coffee chain currently occupies number 97 on Paseo de Gracia, next door to the multi-brand business Santa Eulalia and the firm Jimmy Choo.

The footwear brand launched its first establishment in the Spanish market in 2009. Christian Louboutin opened a 150 m2 store at number 13 on Calle Claudio Coello in Madrid.

The third operation on Paseo de Gracia is going to star the French giant LVMH. Fendi has signed the lease of number 38 on the Barcelona street, a property that has been on the market since March last year, when Hugo Boss moved to another site.

According to Cushman & Wakefield, after Portal de L’Angel, Paseo de Gracia is the second most expensive commercial street in Barcelona for opening a store. The price per square metre amounts to €230/month, compared to €270/m2/month on Portal de L’Angel, which retains its position as the most expensive street in Spain.

Original story: Eje Prime (by I. P. Gestal)

Translation: Carmel Drake