Retailer to build a new empire in property
CO-FOUNDER OF ONLINE FIRM TO HEAD UP NEW FAMILY VENTURE
A CO-FOUNDER of Manchester-based online retailer PrettyLittleThing has ventured into commercial property.
Adam Kamani, who set up the fashion business with brother Umar, is now heading up Kamani Property Group and has a pipeline of Greater Manchester sites in the offing.
This includes a new-build scheme in the Northern Quarter which will house the family’s property division and was approved by Manchester City Council late last year.
The five storey office project on Dale Street is being designed by Falconer Chester Hall and will replace a current car park on the site.
Taking up more than 27,500 sq ft sq ft it will also include retail units and a cafe or bar space on the ground floor.
The CEO said there are no plans for the retail offering to include Boohoo. com, PrettyLittleThing or Nasty Gal brands. However, he did not rule out using it as a pop-up store in future.
The 28-year-old, who is the son of Boohoo.com founder Mahmud Kamani, said: “I am looking after the property division and will be moving my offices into that space.
“I am trying to nurture that side of the business, helping it to grow, and this is one of the first developments over the line.
“We know what is going on in the property sector in Manchester and there is a buzz around the place so we see this one in the Northern Quarter as a real statement piece.”
Kamani Property Group was first set up by Adam’s grandfather almost 50 years ago.
He is now looking to expand the property portfolio which already has several assets in New York and London as well as the north west.
Adam said: “It was an ideal opportunity for me to get involved and we have already seen massive growth in the last year. The team has gone from six or seven staff to 15 since I started and there was 20 per cent growth last year for the property arm.”
Work on the Dale Street development is expected to start in May and will take around 18 months.
Other schemes include transforming 12,000 sq ft of an old city centre building into 10 duplex apartments, which is still going through planning.