BARRIERS TO ENTRY : WE BREAK THEM.
ACCESS TO PRIME RETAIL LOCATIONS : WE OPEN THE DOORS.
DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS WITH LANDLORDS : WE KNOW THEM
…… AND EQUALLY IMPORTANT, THEY KNOW US.
CREATING A BRAND : WE HAVE DONE IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN. NEGOTIATING THE LEASE : WE KNOW THE INS AND OUTS OF
THEIR CLAUSES AND THEY KNOW WE KNOW.
DAY ONE RECOGNITION BY LEVERAGING OUR REPUTATION OF
SUCCESS TO YOUR CONCEPT.
CREATING A SPIRIT TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN TOP MANAGEMENT
AND SALES TALENT.
FROM STORE DESIGN.....TO CUSTOMER RELATIONS.....TO OPERATIONS.....TO MARKET RESEARCH.....TO
ADMINISTRATION.....TO ADVERTISING.....TO WAREHOUSING.....TO
DISTRIBUTION.....TO SOURCING.....TO FINANCE.....
IK Retail Group assists select clients with entry into the US retail marketplace. We provide a full service outsourcing solution to the development of multi-unit retail operations on a national basis. We save our clients years of research and expense by transferring our three decades of reputation, local knowledge, and contacts to permit a faster penetration with much increased probability of success.
Iraklis Karabassis, CEO and President, is one of the most sought after retailers in America today. He began his career in the retail industry over 25 years ago when he introduced the United Colors of Benetton brand to the USA. He developed and nurtured the brand across America, creating a company that distributed, owned, and operated over 100 stores in the US and Canada. In March 2008, Mr. Karabassis sold his Benetton operation in its entirety to the Benetton Group of Italy.
Through the years, Iraklis Karabassis has partnered with Yasmine Karabassis, Vice President of Retail, for IK Retail Group, to expand and diversify his retail portfolio. Together, they have taken on new brands such as Maxmara, Piazza Sempione, Billionaire Italian Couture, Andrew's Ties, G-Star Raw, DNA 2050 Concept Store, and created restaurant concepts such as Washington DC's famous Cafe Milano, Sette Osteria, M Cafe and Famoso Restaurant and Lounge.
Iraklis Karabassis also envisioned, developed and leased one of the top national luxury retail developments in the country, the collection at Chevy Chase. IK Retail Group's offices are located in the heart of Georgetown in Washington, DC and are fully equipped, utilizing proven retail structures and systems to run a multi-concept retail operation.
Ik Retail Group has created a team of dynamic, highly trained and skilled retail professionals with proven results and established systems and structures to bring any viable retail concept to the next level in the American market.
The team's ultimate goal is to increase sales, control costs and ensure that each concept's image is represented impeccably.
IK Retail Group strives to create excitement for each brand while maintaining company standards. We understand the local culture. We understand the customers and their buying habits. We create atmospheres to enhance and support our sales goals.
We grow our brand and create awareness. We develop a presence, establish a position, and insure recognition thru a multi-tiered systematic program developed over years of success upon success for IK Retail.
IK Retail Group is not merely a consulting company. Unlike most agencies, which are stringent in their suggestions, IK Retail Group will customize to meet to your specifc needs. We are direct and opinionated, based on experience of success with a variety of brands. IK Retail Group is on the front lines, overseeing all aspects of Retail Operations for you. We are a hands on and results oriented company who has shown growth, consistent productivity, and longevity with many concepts such as United Colors of Benetton, Sisley, Maxmara, Andrew's Ties, Cafe Milano, Sette Osteria, M Cafe and Famoso Restaurant & Lounge. Today our company has taken on new exciting concepts such as Piazza Sempione, DNA 2050 Concept Store, G-Star and Billionaire Italian Couture.
Consulting - IK Retail Group is with you every single step of the way. We manage the brand as if it was our own. We explore, we think, we strategize, we deliver and we implement. Look to us as your trusted partner and advisor leading the way to a successful journey into America.
Sales, Personnel and Marketing - IK Retail Group is responsible for generating Sales through staffing the stores with the most productive Retail professionals in the business. We will also ensure that the Marketing strategy is always conducive to impacting the store's Sales volume. In addition to building clientele, this department ensures that once customers are won, they are kept for life.
Accounting - This department processes payroll, payments to vendors for all store Operations and provides monthly fnancial statements to clients to ensure consistency with the set budget.
Operations/Systems - We ensure that all stores are operating in a uniform, standardized fashion, and in a cost efficient way. Our Retail System for the point of sale and reporting is one of the best on the market! We use a proprietary Automated Sales Data System, which will enable you to access Sales Performance and any other information, live at all times. This will in turn, enable you to react to production and restock needs quickly, which is critical in the fast paced and rapidly shifting environment surrounding Retail Sales.
Purchasing - IK Retail Group examines, selects, orders, and purchases merchandise, consistent with quality, quantity, specification requirements and other factors. We analyze and monitor Sales records, trends and economic conditions to anticipate consumer buying patterns and determine what the company will sell and how much inventory is needed. We review performance indicators with Sales; manage plans for stock levels, reacting to change in demand and logistics. We conduct meetings with Sales Personnel, introduce new products. We set or recommend mark-up rates, mark-down rates, and selling prices for merchandise.
Visual Merchandising - We coordinate procedures, manage layout and develop Visual Presentation based on brand's standards. IK Retail Group provides on-site training for all staff including management and Sales Personnel concerning the coordination, supervision and implementation of display and Visual Merchandising functions. We identify merchandising trends and create store plans and strategies based on market offerings and buyer's commitments. We develop and prepare required guidelines, supplements and instruction manuals.
Wholesale Services - IK Retail Group assembles and manages the wholesale distribution for major fashion companies to sell to multiple retailers in the North American market. We organize and coordinate participation for all of the major fashion trade shows, with a full sales team to contact and follow up with clients, using our data base which includes all major buyers for department and specialty stores and online retailers. By evaluating each style we edit collections and determine the final price list to maintain healthy margins while remaining competitive to other brands. We manage all orders placed by clients, collecting payments, pick and pack from our distribution center, and shipping to the customer. We provide superior customer service and build strong partnerships with retailers to increase sales.
Real Estate - Through three decades of completing Retail Real Estate transactions and developing shopping centers, IK Retail Group has developed a supreme expertise to locate and negotiate the Real Estate deals and expansion plans, specifically tailored to your concept's target market. We work within the guidelines of each clients goals to locate suitable locations with the nation's leading Retail Developers coast to coast. We bring our talents and relationships with interior designers, graphic designers, and contractors to design, construct and furnish space to sell your products in a suitable and attractive environment.
Developed exclusively for Revel Resorts in Atlantic City, Emporium is located at The Row, the beachfront...READ MORE
Material that transfers genetic characteristics in all life forms. In popular culture it denotes uniqueness;...READ MORE
From its conception in 1989, G-Star has been known for its innovative and cutting edge style in the world of denim...READ MORE
An industry leader in accessible luxury handbags, accessories, footwear and apparel, Rebecca Minkoff’s playful and subtly edgy designs... READ MORE
In this world, power and success are expressed through pure gratification...READ MORE
Piazza Sempione made its mark on the fashion industry, by creating a clothing and accessories line that embodies...READ MORE
Andrew's Ties is a menswear mainstay in Italy with over 100 franchises across the world. ...READ MORE
Loved by design connoisseurs, Italian label Palenzo is characterized by refined materials, impeccable tailoring, faultless construction... READ MORE
Freddy is an Italian company that was founded in 1976 by entrepreneur Carlo Freddi, an expert dance shoe manufacturer... READ MORE
Liu Jo S.p.A. (stylized as LIU•JO) is an Italian fashion company founded by Marchi brothers in 1995 in Carpi (Modena), Italy... READ MORE
After her education in the design field in London, and a working experience between Padova and the Brenta Riviera, an area rich... READ MORE
There are special dynamics to the evolution of chic when it’s Manuela Lugli designing the collection, which next winter parses... READ MORE
Stark white furniture, a glowing amber wall and the organic shapes in a large mosaic increase the lively vibe...READ MORE
Sette is Italian for seven, the traditional "lucky" number. The restaurant design is comfortable with a traditional...READ MORE
Upon its launch in 1981, Sandwich focused on design with a very distinct view to clothing....READ MORE
It is a global fashion brand, based in Treviso, Italy. The name comes from the Benetton family...READ MORE
A place, Paris, a date, 1968, and a Denim collection. That's how the story of the Sisley brand started...READ MORE
Shapes. colors, fabrics and yarns: over 50 years of ideas and desires turned into reality...READ MORE
The cuisine, created by renowned Chef Romina Lugaresi, is inspired by the Toscana Emilia-Romagna...READ MORE
Cafe Milano, in the heart of Georgetown, is the hub of diplomats, journalists, broadcasters...READ MORE
June 21, 2012
For AW12, Mario Chiarenza, creative director of Billionaire Italian Couture, once again pushes the boundaries if traditional masculline dress codes. With a nod to the glamour of rural Tuscany, the line presents classically taiored blazers, shirts and suiting done the Billionaire Italian Couture way; in textured velvet, jacquard and embossed silk...
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June 21, 2012
Emporium features a sophisticated collection of shop-in-shop concepts showcasing fashion-forward designers and brands. ATLANTIC CITY — Revel recently announced plans take fashion to new heights with the Sunday, July 1 opening of Emporium as part of The Row — the mega-resort's 55,000-square-foot convocation of retail space.
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June 19, 2012
REVEL BEACH, Atlantic City, N.J. (June 19, 2012) – Revvel elevates fashion with the opening of Emporium at The Row, the beachfront destination’s retail space, on July 1. Emporium, which was created exclusively for Revel, is a 10,000-square-foot shop-in-shop concept and showcases a carefully curated mix of contemporary and luxury brands.
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May, 2012
Al Fresca Dininig - Celebrate the long weekend and dine outdoors.
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February 25, 2012
Washington, DC (February 25, 2012): Sandwich, a unique global women's fashion brand, will open its doors for Seattle residents at The Shops at The Bravern on March 16, 2012. This will be Sandwich's third store in the country after The Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, Maryland.
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February 25, 2012
Washington, DC (February 25, 2012): Sandwich, a unique global women's fashion brand, will open its doors for DC area residents in Westfield Montgomery Mall, Maryland in March 16, 2012. This will be Sandwich's second store in the country after The Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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FALL 2011
For nearly 30 years, Iraklis Karabassis has quietly pulled the strings of Washington'a retail scene. Here we reveal the man behind the curtain.
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October 8, 2009
Around 100 of Washington's well-heeled set showed up in Chevy Chase last night for a grand-opening fête for the Italian designer line Piazza Sempione, who opened its latest stand-alone store late last month. The party, sponsored in conjunction with Vogue magazine, included free appetizers and Champagne as well as a DJ, in-store modeling, and an exclusive spring 2010 trunk show with a 15-percent discount on purchases.
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the SCENE BISNOW
October 8, 2009
Last night we attended a private party hosted by Vogue for the opening of Piazza Sempione's Collection at Chevy Chase boutique.
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October 7, 2009
Luxury women's apparel store Piazza Sempione has opened up a new shop at The Collection at Chevy Chase. The 2,300 square foot boutique is located at 5471 Wisconsin Ave. The shop opening represents a general U.S. expansion for the brand - new stores are opening in Philadelphia and Seattle as well.
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Piazza Sempione Press Office
October 5, 2009
Piazza Sempione, a leading luxury women's apparel and accessories brand, is pleased to announce the opening of three new stand-alone stores this month at The Shops at the Bravern in Seattle, at The Collection at Chevy Chase in Washington DC and at King of Prussia in Philadelphia.
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October , 2009
If DC's upper Wisconsin Avenue were comparing itself, it would probably chose a likeness to Rodeo Drive. Except Rodeo isn't seeing growth this good! Tonight we welcomed a newcomer to the neighborhood. Champagne, hors d'oeuvres and informal modeling hosted by Vogue and put on by The Aba Agency introduced Piazza Sempione to DC's Northwest nest with guests at the opening including Yelberton Watkins, Rachel Cothran, Monte Harris...READ MORE
September 2009
Skinny. Boyfriend. Bootcut. Flare. With so many different styles of denim in today’s day and age, finding the perfect pair of jeans can be downright daunting. Throw in elements like wash and fit? The task becomes nearly impossible. Say hello to Lincoln Park’s latest, DNA 2050. Following on the heels of launches in both New York and Virginia, the boutique comes to Chicago specializing in premium denim and items that can be worn around it.
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by DAVID MOIN
JUNE 12, 2009
As other designer brands hunker down under the weight of the recession, Piazza Sempione follows a different beat. "There are huge opportunities," said Enrico Morra, chief executive officer of the 18-year-old Milan-based brand. “The world is becoming more real. With landlords dropping prices, you can open a store and reach the breakeven point after a year or a year and a half. That’s fairly achievable.”
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June 2009
Luxe clothier piazza sempione may be named after a street in the founding city of milan, but chicago's own famed oak street is its newest home. It was back in 1990 that founders marisa guerrizio and roberto monti dreamed up their exclusive clothing and accessories line for women that would blend technology (by way of fabrics) and sartorial italian tradition.
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By ANDREA JAMES, P-I REPORTER
March 11, 2009
The retail power couple that first introduced United Colors of Benetton to the United States is now placing its bets on Bellevue. Iraklis Karabassis and Yasmine Karabassis, principals of the Washington, D.C.-based IK Retail Group, have agreed to open a Piazza Sempione shop and a DNA 2050 shop in The Bravern, which is under construction in downtown Bellevue and scheduled to open in September.
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By Cory Ohlendorf
December 2008
When luxury heavyweight Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy wanted to launch its latest concept in the American market, the top brass scheduled an appointment at a small row house on a tree-lined street in Georgetown. This is the home of IK Retail Group, a company helmed by Iraklis and Yasmine Karabassis, the DC couple with a worldwide rep for brand building.
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by WWD Staff
October 15, 2008
IK Retail Group, led by Iraklis Karabassis, who helped grow Benetton in the U.S., is rolling out a new retail concept, denim-based DNA 2050 with stores in New York, Chicago and Tysons Galleria in McLean, Va. In addition to those locations, DNA 2050 is to launch another women’s and men’s boutique in downtown Chicago, possibly this year.
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by Beth Wilson
October 09, 2008 From WWD Issue 10/09/2008
Jason Gallen, vice president of retail for Original Penguin, is one of the lucky ones. His 2,300-square-foot store at the corner of Delaware and Rush streets in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood has been seemingly exempt from any retail letdown during this economic crisis.
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By Chris Silva
September 2008
The appeal of the chef ’s table is that it is a more intimate restaurantgoing experience. Patrons get a birds-eye view of the kitchen, watching as the chef orchestrates an authentic, multiple-course feast. In some eateries, the setup is a long communal table that encourages a family-style environment. Others may have high chairs pulled up to a countertop overlooking the kitchen, and some settings will literally be located in the kitchen.
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The World’s First Haute Couture Brand for Men Opens in Las Vegas
July 31, 2008
Las Vegas, NV- Billionaire Italian Couture, one of the most treasured secrets of the international elite opened its doors at the Palazzo in Las Vegas this spring. As the guardian of male style and luxury, Billionaire Italian Couture is the result of the intuition and flair of Formula One’s Flavio Briatore and the creativity and style of world renowned designer Angelo Galasso together with a select group of master Italian craftsmen.
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July 31, 2008
Chicago, IL- On July 31st, 2008 - Clothing retailer DNA 2050 has opened its newest boutique in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. Based on the concept of individuality and expressiveness of style in today’s fashion market, DNA 2050 focuses on the evolution of personal style with an offering of sophisticated pieces geared to build a savvy and versatile wardrobe with *Jeaneology* at its core.
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By David Moin
July 18, 2008
The U.S. economy has been battered, but luxury and optimism live in Las Vegas. The $9 billion CityCenter project, which is a joint venture between MGM Mirage and Dubai World that includes hotels, gaming and condominiums along with retail, has upped the luxe ante, signing a roster that includes Ermenegildo Zegna, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., de Grisogono, H.Stern, Marni, Rolex, Mikkimoto, Roberto Coin and Tourbillon. READ MORE
DC Style Online
March 14, 2008
Dutch clothing company G-Star Raw opened a new location in Dupont Circle a few weeks ago, bringing its fashionable line of "Raw Denim" items for men and women to the District.
G-Star is a single-brand store, meaning the location only carries its own line of jeans, jackets, shirting, bags and wallets. Raw denim is material that hasn't been treated or washed after being dyed, and will have a tendency to bleed on its first wash.
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Reviewed By Cynthia Hacinli
April 24 , 2007
Best DishesVeal tonno; lasagna Bolognese; Margherita pizza; mortadella and artichoke panini; lemon meringue tartlets; cannoli; the salad of endive, grapes, radicchio, walnuts, and Gorgonzola; homey farro (spelt barley) soup with cannellini beans; an elegant deconstr. Opening a restaurant is always risky business. So why not play the odds? Set up camp on a newly glamorous stretch of Wisconsin Avenue in Chevy Chase.
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By Kate Templin
April 2006 The Men’s Issue / DC Men of Style 2006
A wise man once said style is as style does, and no one is doing more to increase DCs fashion factor than Iraklis Karabassis, the founder of IK Enterprises, the umbrella under which almost 100 Benetton, Sisley and MaxMara stores lie. The Greek-born entrepreneur, 49, likes to fly under the radar, but his style influence soars as fa as the eye can see.
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By David Moin
February 23,2005
NEW YORK - Though metro Washington is filled with suburban malls and shopping areas like Georgetown, there is nothing to rival Rodeo Drive or Fifth Avenue. Soon, however, the luxury landscape will change with the opening of The Collection at Chevy Chase, 54715481 Wisconsin Avenue, set for October.
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by Eleni Kretikos Staff Reporter
February 6,2004
A die-hard work ethic mixed with good and bad timing makes Iraklis Karabassis United Colors of Benetton's go-to guys and one of the area's busiest behind-the-scenes retailers. He may be the biggest name in Washington business you never heard.
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By Joanna Ramey
October 22, 2003
WASHINGTON - The story of how Iraklis Karabassis became Benetton Group's vehicle for growth in the US. began with a sharp detour from a geology career in his native Greece. Karabassis, chief executive officer of The IK Retail Group, now owns 97 of the 114 Benetton stores in the U.S. through licensing agreements, selling the Italian brand's hip sportswear.
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30 Rockefeller Plaza South Concourse Level, Space 11
New York, NY 10111
Tel: (212) 245-4563
Fax: (212) 245-4637
Email: andrewstiesny@ikretail.com
The Shops at Liberty Place 1625 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Tel: (215) 988-1260
Fax: (215) 988-1263
Email: andrewstiesny@ikretail.com
The Shoppes at The Palazzo Las Vegas Blvd South Suite 2936
Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
Tel: (702) 242-4506
Fax: (702) 369-4502
Email:andrewstiesny@ikretail.com
1155 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20004
Tel: (202) 347-1002
Email: andrewstiesdc@ikretail.com
Union Station 50 Massachusetts Ave,NE Suite 131
Washington, DC 20002
Tel: (202) 289-7870
Fax: (202) 289-7871
Email:andrewstiespa@ikretail.com
1017 St.Catherine Street West Montreal, Quebec H3B 1H1
Tel: (514) 287-4444
Fax: (514) 287-9792
Email:andrewstieslv@ikretail.com
Richmond Adelaide Complex 120 Adelaide St. West
Toronto, Ontario M5H 1T1
Tel: (416) 214-1599
Fax: (905) 770-6248
Email:andrewstiesmontreal@ikretail.com
The Shoppes at The Palazzo, Space 2922 3327
Las Vegas Boulevard South Las Vegas, NV 89109
Tel: (702) 765-5551
Fax: (702) 737-5513
Email:billionairecouturelv@ikretail.com
The Mall at Short Hills 1200 Morris Turnpike Short Hills, NJ 07078
Tel: (973) 379-3980
Fax: (973) 379-3981
Email:piazzasempionesh@ikretail.com
The Shoppes at The Palazzo Space 2938 3327
Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
Tel: (702) 650-3137
Fax: (702) 733-7933
Email:piazzasempionelv@ikretail.com
34 East Oak Street Chicago, IL 60611
Tel: (312) 280-1129
Fax: (312) 280-1698
Email:piazzasempionech@ikretail.com
Colonnade Outlet at Sawgrass Mills 1800 Sawgrass Mills Circle,
Ste 2630 Sunrise, Florida 33323
Tel: (954) 846-0337
Fax: (954) 846-1168
Email: piazzasempionefl@ikretail.com
The Shops at 900 900 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite L 3-18
Chicago, IL 60611
Tel: (312) 944-0040
Fax: (312) 944-0144
Email: dna2050chicago@ikretail.com
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas 3708 Las Vegas Boulevard,
Space #5 Las Vegas, NV 89109
Tel: (702) 698-7610
Fax: (702) 698-7611
Email: dna2050lv@ikretail.com
Revel Resort Casino 500 Boardwalk Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Tel: (609) 225-9834/35
Fax: (609) 225-9836
Email: emporiumac@ikretail.com
1666 Connecticut Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20009
Tel: (202) 232-8520
Fax: (202) 232-8522
Email: gstardupont@ikretail.com
400 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Tel: (212) 750-5221
Fax: (212) 750-5231
Opening OCT 2012 1634 14th STREET, NW WASHINGTON DC 20009
1666 CONNECTICUT AVENUE, NW WASHINGTON DC 20009
Tel: (202) 483-3070
Fax: (202) 483-3074
IK RETAIL GROUP
3238 Prospect Street,
NW Washington, DC 20007
Tel: (202) 333-9792
Fax: (202) 298-7229
Email: info@ikretail.com