Trent, the Tata Group’s retail arm, is planning to open 15 more Landmark stores across the country in this fiscal.
Landmark, the book and music retailer recently acquired by Trent, plans to open stores in Mumbai, Chennai, New Delhi and Bangalore. “The Mumbai store will be housed in a heritage location,” Hemu Ramaiah, CEO, Landmark, told Indiaretailing.
It is learnt that Westland, the company’s distribution business, is now moving into publishing in a big way. Journalist and literary critic Nilanjana Roy has been appointed as its managing editor. Westland is also talking to some well-known Indian authors to publish their books. “The prime focus is on general books and the aim is to publish 100 titles every year – new and reprints,” she informed.
Westland, which has so far reprinted the ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ series, will publish an India-specific sequence. There will be about 20-25 titles in the ‘Chicken Soup for the Indian Soul’ series, which will speak to entrepreneurs, women and other audiences, Ramaiah added.
The company recently unveiled a promotion on the Lagaan CDs and DVDs whereby a Landmark Customer XI will play a cricket match with the original Lagaan XI in Mumbai later this month.
In August 2005, Trent acquired 76 per cent stake in the Chennai-based Landmark.
– Vishnu Rageev R, Bangalore
