Mumbai: Pantaloon, the country''s largest retailer, is agressively rolling out new outlets across the country. Pantaloon Retail will be openings it''s 10th Big Bazaar, a 36,000 sq ft store including the Food Bazaar, in Nashik this month.

The company will also be opening an independent Food Bazaar measuring 9,000 sq ft at Hosur Road in Bangalore.

Pantaloon is India''s largest listed retailer. The company is rapidly building out retail capacity in both its primary retailing formats-life style and value retailing.

In life-style retailing, its stores ''Pantaloon'' and the upcoming ''Central'' offer apparel and fashion items targeted at the middle-class market. Its ''Big Bazaar'' discount stores target the price-conscious apparel aswell as grocery (''Food Discount'' brand) markets.

The company has also introduced ''seamless mall'' concept to Indians for the first time. The ''Central'' in Bangalore has 125,000 sq. ft. of retailing space including a food court, food & grocery section, a nightclub and other entertainment options.

Initial reports about the Central mall opened in Bangalore on May 14, after a delay of almost 2 months, have been encouraging. The mall accounted for Rs 35 million in sales for the first 14 days in operations. It is expected that this run rate to better as the mall establishes its presence as a shopping destination in the city.

Pantaloon recorded strong sales from Pantaloon and Big Bazaars as well, clocking same store sales at 16% and 21% respectively.

With the retail business expanding in the country, stock prices of Pantaloon has been shooting up on the stock exchanges.

However there were some delay in openings store openings. This was due to factors like procession of site from the landlord including time taken for construction and fit-out. For instance, the Goregaon Big Bazaar was scheduled to open in beginning June, which is now opening in July''04.

According to company management, there was a delay in opening of store in Goregaon- Mumbai but it will now open in July this year. Several equity houses have trimmed the earnings expectaions due to delay in store openings.

However, the company has an aggressive store roll out plan over the next two years.