20 years of tradition. The unknown story behind Benvenuti: “It was my dream”!

Benvenuti was established in Romania on March 25, 2004, as a result of the evolution and maturation of the market and the increase in customer demands. Now, the company has its headquarters in Oradea, and at the country level, it has 400 employees.

The first store, opened in Timisoara

Originally established in Timișoara, the company set out to become a market leader in the segment of footwear and leather goods stores aimed at customers who love fashion, good taste and quality.

It was not an easy start, because, although he already had 10 years of experience in the field, Dan Pavel had to find financing for the start of the new business and to form a new team eager to work.

“In 2004 I opened the first store in Timisoara, and it is a continuation of my first company that I opened in 1994. It was a great advantage when I started Benvenuti because I already had 10 years of experience. By the end of the first year, we had five stores open. In the following years, we opened between five and eight stores annually, reaching 33 stores at the end of 2008. Currently, Benvenuti has 46 stores throughout the country. Benvenuti was my dream, my creed and the direction in which I saw a healthy development as a shoe retailer”, Dan Pavel told us.

The business did not stop there. Along with the economic growth, Benvenuti inaugurated in 2008 a network of luxury multibrand stores, Enzo Bertini, in Bucharest. Currently, Enzo Bertini has three stores in Bucharest and new locations in Oradea, Cluj Napoca, Brașov, Craiova and Iași.

“Enzo Bertini is considered a multi-brand shoe store where shoes are the main focus, but leather goods are also complementary. At the moment we have nine Enzo Bertini stores in several important cities in the country”.

A family business

20 years later, the company remained made up of the same people, who became associates, in the family, says Pavel.

“We are four associates, just like 20 years ago. We are friends, we understand each other very well and, with God’s help, I hope we will continue to perform”.

The secret of a successful business, says Pavel, remains work, intuition and perseverance. During the 20 years of activity, the company went through the darkest period during the pandemic.

“The darkest period is very well fixed in my mind. The hardest was during the pandemic when all the shops were closed. In none of my worst case scenarios could I have imagined that one day, all the shops would be closed. Then all our sources of income were stopped, but as a company the expenses continued because we had to pay our rents and all related utilities, we had to pay salaries, we had to pay our goods to suppliers… It was a very difficult period but we managed to overcome it”.

A special logo…

Few know that both the meaning and the Benvenuti logo have a special meaning. The name came as a result of the collaboration with the Italian manufacturers, and the logo, with the special V, represents a man with open arms, which gives weight to the word Benvenuti (Welcome!). The V also represents the man with open arms protecting those around him, like a protective umbrella.

For the love of fashion and quality

The company aims to offer the local market products of superior quality and unique design, made possible by collaboration with manufacturing partners. The varied range of products offered is probably the largest on the Romanian market.

The technological process of manufacturing shoes and purses is carefully monitored and studied to achieve exceptional results and long-lasting products. Well-trained staff in each store are ready to assist and guide customers to the best choices in terms of fitting, style and shoe properties. For online shopping, the professional team is always ready to meet the needs of customers and guide them for a pleasant experience.

“Fashion has been evolving rapidly in recent years and trends are constantly changing. That’s why we are always present at the most important exhibitions and fashion shows, to offer our customers products of premium quality and perfect design. We want every person who wears a pair of Benvenuti shoes to smile and feel special”.

The brands you can find in the stores are Luca di Gioia, Solo Donna, Enzo Bertini, TheZeus, Benvenuti, New Balance, Crocs, Sketchers, Pierre Cardin, Converse and Pepe Jeans.