World Retail Award finalist Rose
The World Retail Awards ceremony took place in Rome last year. Alongside global players such as Nike and Puma, bicycle specialist Rose was also among the finalists. The reason for this was the Bocholt-based company's newly opened concept store in the MONA centre in Munich. Although there are only a few Rose bicycle models to touch in the 300 square metre shop, oversized LCD screens offer a live configuration of life-size bicycles. Rose is thus taking on the task that many retailers are struggling with with flying colours. Linking the virtual shopping world on the Internet with the real retail shop is not easy to realise, but when it succeeds - as in Bike Town Munich - the bicycle purchase becomes a true shopping experience for customers. For company boss Thorsten Heckrath-Rose, it was clear that the concept tested in Munich had to be implemented as quickly as possible in Rose's home town, Bike Town Bocholt. Eleven years after the opening of the flagship store near the Dutch border, it now appears in new splendour. Rose showcases all its bike models on over 4000 square metres of retail space, as well as the LCD screens familiar from Munich. In addition, there is a foot-measuring system to make buying cycling shoes easier, wind pull systems for testing glasses and other test stations for pumps and GPS devices. Those who want to recharge their batteries between shopping can treat themselves to snacks and coffee specialities in the Community Lounge. If a customer configures their bike at home in front of their PC, they can have it delivered to their home or collect it from one of the Bike Towns. The handover is celebrated as one would expect when buying a new car. Customers can book various consultation packages free of charge and then receive their new bike customised to their individual needs.
Rose's roots lie in retail
With the relaunch of the Bike Town Bocholt the Rose brand, which is primarily known as a direct mail order company, impressively demonstrates where its roots lie. The entrepreneurial history of the Rose family in North Rhine-Westphalia began 109 years ago with a much broader product range. In addition to bicycles, there were also sewing machines and oil stoves back then - unimaginable today for bicycle enthusiast and Managing Director Thorsten Heckrath-Rose. Catalogue mail order has recently been replaced by the up-and-coming Internet, but the passion for retail has always remained. Rose generates around 80 percent of its turnover via the web shop, which is backed by an elaborate and, above all, state-of-the-art logistics centre. And yet the much smaller retail business is run by the entrepreneurial family with just as much passion as the global activity via the online shop. When you look around the newly opened Bike Town, you can no longer tell exactly where the real world ends and the virtual expanse of the web begins. And that is precisely the reason why the Bocholt-based company is once again hoping to be nominated for the World Retail Awards, this time with Bike Town Bocholt. This time in Dubai.
Info about Rose Bike Town Bocholt
ROSE Bike Town Bocholt
Werther Street 44
46395 Bocholt
Phone: 02871/2755-55
Fax: 02871/2755-50
Opening hours:
Mon - Wed: 10:00 - 18:30
Thu - Fri: 10:00 - 20:00
Saturday: 10:00 - 18:00
