Gap opens first store in Hong Kong

Situated in the LHT Tower on the sought-after Queen’s Road Central location, the store will feature the full range of Gap adult, GapKids, babyGap and GapBody products in a space of 15,000 square feet (1,389 square meters) over four floors with floor-to-ceiling windows, white marble and Chinese oak wooden floors.

Currently, Gap has eight brick-and-mortar stores in the Greater China region - four in Shanghai and four in Beijing, as well as an online retail store that ships to Hong Kong as well. The new ninth store marks the continuation of Gap's long-term, multi-channel consumer market entry strategy for the region.  

Gap celebrated its first anniversary in China this month, and plans to triple the fleet of Gap stores from 15 to 45 by the end of fiscal 2012. The company will open new stores in Shanghai, HangZhou and Tianjin over the coming weeks. For major markets such as China, the company typically enters with brand-building flagship stores, followed by outlet and smaller stores in outlying areas. 

“The opening of the first Gap flagship store in Hong Kong demonstrates our commitment to the China market to deliver affordable, high-quality, relevant fashion for customers.” Redmond Yeung, president of Gap Greater China, said. “Based on the demand levels through e-commerce sales over the last year, we know that Hong Kong consumers have a strong appetite for Gap’s uniquely American fashion.”

Gap seems unfazed by the list of competitors, as Yeung pointed out that Hong Kongers typically live in smaller homes and are more apt to go out. "So you need a lot more clothes," he added.