Mumbai: Bata India has unveiled the revamped Grand Hotel store in Kolkata, reinforcing its longstanding association with the city while marking a significant milestone in the brand’s retail transformation journey. Also known as 0001 Grand Hotel, the outlet is Bata’s first retail store in India and remains one of the company’s top-performing stores nationally, carrying deep legacy value within Bata’s 90-year retail footprint.
The refreshed store reflects Bata India’s evolving retail vision, combining premiumisation, enhanced in-store experiences, and legacy-driven storytelling in a contemporary format. Kolkata and Batanagar have long played a central role in Bata India’s growth story, with the revamped store drawing inspiration from this heritage while delivering a modern and immersive retail environment.
Kolkata currently contributes nearly 50 percent of Bata India’s East business and around 6 percent of its national turnover. The company stated that the store, which currently generates approximately ₹9 crore in revenue, is expected to grow to ₹10–11 crore over the next year.
Adding to the celebratory launch, Ritabhari Chakraborty visited the store, bringing festive energy to the occasion. Bata highlighted her strong regional connect and influence, positioning her as a natural fit for the brand in the market.
Commenting on the milestone, Gunjan Shah said, “As consumer expectations evolve, we are reimagining retail experiences across our network. The Grand Hotel store revamp is part of a broader strategy to elevate our retail footprint through premium environments, sharper in-store experiences, and stronger consumer engagement. Kolkata remains a key market, with Batanagar standing as a powerful symbol of our regional legacy. This transformation reflects our commitment to investing in markets that have shaped our heritage while building for the future. Looking ahead, Bata India plans to add 25–30 new stores across the East over the next year, spanning COCO and FOFO models, with a strong focus on West Bengal, including emerging markets and the hills.”
Echoing the sentiment, Badri Beriwal said, “The East continues to be one of our most important growth corridors, with Kolkata at the centre of this strategy. The Grand Hotel store revamp reflects how we are redefining retail in high-impact markets. This format will play an important role in shaping the next phase of our retail expansion.”
The store transformation is further backed by Bata India’s ‘Customer First’ supply chain initiative, aimed at ensuring faster replenishment and improved product and size availability across stores.
Speaking about the initiative, Anjan Kundu said, “At Bata, we believe that the quality of the in-store experience is closely linked to the strength of the supply chain that supports it. The ‘Customer First’ initiative is designed to ensure that every customer who walks into a Bata store finds what they are looking for, every single time. For a store of this scale and significance, this commitment is essential.”
Strengthening its cultural connection with the region, Bata India also announced that its Durga Pujo 2026 festive collection will make its national debut in Kolkata. The launch will be supported by advance inventory planning and a locally relevant campaign featuring a prominent regional face, which will be unveiled closer to the festive season.
