707 Group on expanding beyond retail

Following the success of 707 Store, both co-founders, Nicholas Hideyoshi Schaefer and Marcel Lukman, step into licensing and distribution of global brands in Indonesia - Fred Perry, Melissa Shoes and Nudie Jeans to name a few.

“We try to find brands with good credibility, character and history. Fred Perry has been in the market for more than 50 years,” 707 Group President Marcel Lukman stated.

The brands they bring in go through stages of incubation and curation as well. Superga, for example, was sold only at 707 Stores before it has a store. “We carried small batches at first while we grow the market and promote and introduce it to people. Once we reached this certain tipping point, we opened the store.”

With the expansion to licensing and distribution of global brands under their belt, 707 Store morphed into 707 Group. The company, which is also part of Delami Brands, opened another multi-brand retailer, Art&Science, in 2015.

Image: Atmos private opening party on 31 January 2020 at Plaza Indonesia

The store itself carries wide selection of unique products from books and stationeries to novelty items, streetwear and accessories. It is a refreshing concept in the middle of homogenous mall brands. The launch of exclusive merchandise for best-selling book turned motion film Nanti Kita Cerita Tentang Hari Ini (NKCTHI), for instance, utilises the hype of the book to drive traffic and revenue to the store. 

“In the long term, we want to continue finding and collecting brands we can grow and build together. Our focus is on retail lifestyle brands. 707 will always be a group with a unique positioning. Attracting brands with a good character, getting the lifestyle audience and being profitable at the same time. Maybe it needs investment in the beginning, but for the sake of staying, their business needs to work.” 

This year, the company introduces multi-brand retailer from Japan, Atmos. Slated to open in February at Plaza Indonesia, the company entered the Indonesian market through Urban Sneakers Society 2019. Unlike other sneaker retailers, Atmos focuses on rare, limited sneakers and design collaboration with global brands like Nike or Adidas. 

“We don’t always have to be the biggest or the richest, but we always have to be something special, something unique. Both online and offline, and wherever it is.”