best premium wordpress themes

Buenos Aires Barbie Store Has New Franchisees Thinking Pink (and Green)

On February 3, 2012, In arts & entertainment, franchises, lifestyle, tourism, by InvestBA
Barbie Store Buenos Aires

Having conquered Buenos Aires, Barbie is looking to go out with new suitors and franchisees.

The first official Barbie Store in the world opened in Buenos Aires in 2007 aimed at winning the hearts of girls aged 3-12 and simultaneously the credit cards of doting parents. The first location in Palermo was such a hit, a second location opened in BA’s Unicenter Galleria. Barbie then grabbed her passport and flew her pink G5 to Mexico City, Lima and Montevideo to open her first stores outside of Argentina.

Now the BA-based team behind the Barbie Store is ready to replicate their unique concept of “fashiontainment” around the globe using a franchise model. According to Rosario’s ON24, the store’s target market is young girls but many times the mothers are the ones who are the most excited about at trip to the Barbie Store which features dolls, clothing, merchandise aimed at adults, the House of Barbie, and a Beauty Salon for manicures and pedicures.

The Montevideo store which opened in 2011 was the first Barbie Store franchise, and now the founders are eyeing expansion to the interior of Argentina. “The brand has established itself as leader in fashion for girls, and the business model is mature enough that we can grow it in smaller formats across the country, without neglecting the concept of retail experience that makes our stores unique,” explains Pebly Garica, CEO of Barbie Stores.

Opening a 1,000 to 2,000 square foot Barbie Store franchise requires an initial investment of approximately US$150,000 to $200,000 including store furnishings, initial inventory and working capital for the first 6 months. (Full Story in Spanish)

For more information about franchise opportunities in Argentina and Uruguay, download the new issue of InvestBA Privada.

0 Comments
Leave A Response

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
 

VanityBA: A Healthy Outlook for Luxury Spas and Wellness Tourism in Argentina

On February 2, 2012, In lifestyle, medical tourism, tourism, vanityba, by InvestBA
Luxury Spas in Buenos Aires

Guests enjoying the steam room at Le Spa, the rooftop oasis at the Algodon Mansion in Buenos Aires.

Wellness tourism is on the rise in Argentina as more hotels and resorts adapt to foreign visitor demands for Aromatherapy, Chromatherapy, Hot Stones, Thai Massage and Herbal Treatments. From the finest Buenos Aires hotels to rural retreats in tranquil settings like Bariloche, Iguazu, and Mendoza, new spas are opening while existing spas are adding innovative face and body treatments to their menus.

According to TUR Noticias, 87% of the treatments in Argentina use water as the essential cleansing element while others incorporate clay, algae, wine and mud, one of the healthiest components of spa therapies when it comes from the correct source and is used appropriately. Most high-end spas in Argentina have qualified directors who oversee spa quality controls and tailor treatments to the needs of each client.

Industry officials at the 2011 European Medical Travel Conference said Health & Wellness Tourism generates US$100 billion annually and predicted 100% growth over the next decade, making it one of the travel industry’s fastest-growing segments. Luxury spas and unique treatments in Argentina include everything from Jungle Mist in Buenos Aires to chocolate baths in Iguazu to hydromassages in Villa La Angostura and crushed Malbec scrubs in Mendoza. (Full Story in Spanish)

For more information about wellness tourism in Argentina and Uruguay, download the new issue of InvestBA Privada.

0 Comments
Leave A Response

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
 

February Brings Bargains, Rental Vacancies in Punta del Este, Rocha Beaches

On February 1, 2012, In lifestyle, real estate, tourism, uruguay, by InvestBA
Maldonado Real Estate

Rental bargains abound in Punta del Este and the surrounding beaches in February.

Like New York hotels in December or Augusta single-family homes in early April, condo and home rental rates usually double or triple in Punta del Este and the surrounding beaches during the month of January. Property owners capitalize on the fact that most Argentines and Brazilians take their vacations in January, but all that insanity of overcrowded beaches, hotels and restaurants fades on February 1.

The annual “recambio” (refill) of properties typically begins today; however, local brokers tell El País that rental vacancies are way up and demand from this currency-controlled side of the Rio de la Plata is way down. So good news for greenback-toting foreign tourists. If you ever wanted a beachside bargain, this is your lucky year.

While January is a sure thing, the first two weeks of February are make or break time for Uruguay coastal property owners, and the president of the Maldonado Real Estate Chamber sums up the willingness of owners to negotiate. “There are very few requests for the first two weeks of February,” says Juan Francisco Bistiancic who describes local brokers as “very worried.” Translation: There are so many vacant units, you can toss the listing price out the window and simply make an offer.

According to El País, US$3,000 will get you a three-bedroom home close to the beach or US$1,800 for a two-bedroom condominium in Punta del Este for the entire month of February. OK, so maybe you won’t get to go clubbing with Guetta and Zuckerberg this year, but with the money you’ll save, you can open your own boliche . (Full Story in Spanish)

For more information about Punta del Este property rentals, contact us directly.

0 Comments
Leave A Response

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
 

Triple Play: BA Tech District Welcomes 100th Company, Property Values Rising

On January 31, 2012, In ba government, creative class, entrepreneurs, foreign investment, technology, by InvestBA
Inmobiliaria Parque Patricios

IT companies and new residents are restoring classic buildings in the BA Tech District (Click for more info)

The Buenos Aires neighborhood of Parque Patricios is quickly becoming a hip haven for tech companies, young professionals and small service-oriented businesses hoping to cater to the new incoming wave of tech talent. At the core of the barrio, the City of Buenos Aires Technology District is the magnet which is attracting the talent and simultaneously revitalizing the neighborhood.

Clarin’s Pablo Novillo says the four-year-old BA Tech District now counts 101 companies either working in the District or currently moving their offices to Parque Patricios. The influx of 11,000 full-time workers has had a dramatic impact on the real estate values in the southern neighborhood, a trend we noted in the Luxury Latin America article on Investing in Buenos Aires. Novillo estimates real estate values have risen 16.6% since the fourth quarter of 2010.

Since its inception, the Tech District has been responsible for the construction or renovation of over 1 million square feet for office and residential use. And now that there are more full-time workers and residents, small businesses from fast food restaurants to gyms to dry cleaners are beginning to move to the sprawling 500-acre District. The October opening of the Parque Patricios Subte station was a major milestone for connecting non-resident workers to this booming BA barrio. (Full Story in Spanish)

InvestBA was recently invited to tour the Tech District with Valeria Zivelonghi of the Buenos Aires Investor Assistance Center. That feature article from the new issue of InvestBA Privada is available here.

0 Comments
Leave A Response

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
 

The Race for Numero Tres: Argentina, Colombia Competing for Foreign Investors

On January 30, 2012, In competitiveness, foreign investment, by InvestBA
PBI Argentina y Colombia

2014: The biggest South American battle might not be the World Cup in Brazil. (Click to enlarge)

During the 1990s, Argentina reported annual GDP numbers over US$150-200 billion greater than South American rival Colombia. Argentina’s financial crisis proved to be a great equalizer a decade ago leaving both Argentina and Colombia with 2002 GDP numbers of approximately US$100 billion.

The ensuing decade has been a story of tremendous growth and nearly lock-step movement as the two economies buck the global malaise and attract more foreign investment. And while Argentina may not be looking in the rearview mirror at the suddenly-surging chivita, Colombia definitely has its sights set on Argentina’s bumper and is easing into the passing lane, according to Jaume Viñas of CincoDias.com.

With mounting deficits, 23% unemployment and social unrest in Spain, Spanish companies are  ramping up their investments in Colombia to the tune of US$274 million in the first 9 months of 2011 alone compared to just US$119 million in all of 2010. Simultaneously, Spanish companies exported US$668 million in goods to Colombia between January and November 2011, a 32% increase over the same period in 2010.

“We believe we are going to surpass the GDP of Argentina in 2014,” says Colombian Minister of Industry Sergio Díaz-Granados, leaving little doubt about who Colombia considers their leading regional rival for the hearts and wallets of foreign investors. The economic stability and positive public image of Colombia created during the unflappable Uribe presidency has carried over to the Santos administration.

Regional investors in Colombia are drawn to the same growth story, consumption patterns and youthful demographics that exist in Argentina. And while Brazil plays host to the World Cup in 2014, the biggest regional battle may in fact be Argentina vs. Colombia for the title of Latin America’s third-largest economy. (Full Story in Spanish)

For more information about investment opportunities in Argentina, download the new issue of InvestBA Privada.

0 Comments
Leave A Response

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
 
Previous Entries
 

Bariloche

Mendoza

Uruguay

© 2011 InvestBA.com