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Castro (clothing)
Encyclopedia
Castro is an Israel
i clothing company specializing in men's and women's fashions. Publicly traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange
, the company is valued at 70 million US dollars.
The chain has 180 stores, with locations in Israel
, Germany
, Russia
, Switzerland
, Thailand
, and Ukraine
. Controlled by the Castro and Rotter families, who together hold 67% of the company's shares, the company's sales turnover reached approximately ₪533 million in fiscal 2006.
The company was founded by Aaron Castro, a Greek
Jew from Thessaloniki
, Greece
, whose family immigrated to Israel when he was a young boy. His mother was a fashion designer.
In the 1950s, Castro opened a small corner store in Tel Aviv called Nina, named for his mother. As the business grew and the basement of the store became a small factory producing ready-to-wear clothing, the name was changed to Castro. In the 1960s, Castro clothing was also sold at department stores such as Hamashbir Letzarchan and Shekem. In 1965, Castro moved to direct marketing with "Rio", a factory outlet in Tel Aviv
.
In 1975 Castro began exporting its clothing to Europe. Castro's flagship store opened on Dizengoff Street
in 1985, and branches were established all over the country. By the 1990s, Castro had over 1544 workers. In 1992, Castro filed its IPO, going public. In 1994, Castro launched its cosmetics line by a licensing agreement. Castro has designed the Israeli team uniforms for the Olympics since 1996. Castro won Israel's fashion "Oscar."
In August 2000, Castro opened Castro Men. Also, 2003 saw the beginning of international expansion with stores in Germany
. In 2005, Castro entered into a joint (50%) ownership of an international accessories chain, DIVA, with England
-based DCK Concessions and today has 23 stores.
In 2007, Castro launched its Castro Jeans line.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i clothing company specializing in men's and women's fashions. Publicly traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange
Tel Aviv Stock Exchange
The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange in Tel Aviv is Israel's only stock exchange.The TASE is the only public market for trading securities in Israel. It plays a major role in the Israeli economy....
, the company is valued at 70 million US dollars.
The chain has 180 stores, with locations in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, and Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. Controlled by the Castro and Rotter families, who together hold 67% of the company's shares, the company's sales turnover reached approximately ₪533 million in fiscal 2006.
History
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
Jew from Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, whose family immigrated to Israel when he was a young boy. His mother was a fashion designer.
In the 1950s, Castro opened a small corner store in Tel Aviv called Nina, named for his mother. As the business grew and the basement of the store became a small factory producing ready-to-wear clothing, the name was changed to Castro. In the 1960s, Castro clothing was also sold at department stores such as Hamashbir Letzarchan and Shekem. In 1965, Castro moved to direct marketing with "Rio", a factory outlet in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
.
In 1975 Castro began exporting its clothing to Europe. Castro's flagship store opened on Dizengoff Street
Dizengoff Street
Dizengoff Street is a major street in central Tel Aviv, named after Tel Aviv's first mayor, Meir Dizengoff.The street runs from the corner of Ibn Gabirol Street in its southernmost point to the port area of Tel Aviv in its northwestern point...
in 1985, and branches were established all over the country. By the 1990s, Castro had over 1544 workers. In 1992, Castro filed its IPO, going public. In 1994, Castro launched its cosmetics line by a licensing agreement. Castro has designed the Israeli team uniforms for the Olympics since 1996. Castro won Israel's fashion "Oscar."
In August 2000, Castro opened Castro Men. Also, 2003 saw the beginning of international expansion with stores in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. In 2005, Castro entered into a joint (50%) ownership of an international accessories chain, DIVA, with England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-based DCK Concessions and today has 23 stores.
In 2007, Castro launched its Castro Jeans line.
See also
- Hamashbir LazarchanHamashbir LazarchanHamashbir Lazarchan is an Israeli chain of department stores. Hamashbir consists of 33 branches across the country.-History:The chain was founded by the Histadrut in 1947...
- HonigmanHonigmanHonigman is an Israeli fashion company specializing in ladies fashion apparel. For children, a separate store Honigman Kids exits alongside their sub-brand Virus, sold inside the Honigman Kids stores...
- TNTTNT (clothing)TNT is an Israel-based urban fashion label aimed at the teen and young adult market. Started in 1999, as of 2007 it controls 20 percent of the clothing market for young people in Israel. With international locations in Romania in 2007, and Russia in early 2008, the company is owned by Honigman &...
- RenuarRenuarRenuar is an Israeli-based fashion chain specializing in men's and women's fashion. Founded in 1993 by Yossi Brosh and Eli Berkovich, the chain has grown into one of the largest in Israel.-Details:...
- FoxFox (clothing)Fox is an Israel-based fashion chain specializing in women's, men's, children's, and babies' fashions. Respectively, those brands are FOX, FOX MEN, FOX KIDS, and FOX BABY....