Aladini - Tirana, Albania

Would you like to check out a retail store that originated as a communist military bunker?

Yes, you read that right!

I recently connected with Valer in Tirana, Albania, to tour his brand, Aladini.

About 10 years ago, Aladini launched as a purely e-commerce platform (think Amazon meets Alibaba). Then, 2 years ago, they opened their first physical store/showroom.

You're thinking, "OK, what's the big deal?"

Well, many companies have transitioned from online to brick-and-mortar, but not many in a country that emerged from communist rule just over 30 years ago.

Have you heard about the communist era in Albania?

I hadn’t!

During that time, the ruler built over 100,000 military bunkers (some estimates go up to 170,000). Valer converted a special bunker—located a block away from the leader’s house and originally used for storing military tanks, vehicles, and supplies—into his first retail store.

Imagine that: a store with a dark history, now repurposed to create jobs and drive Albania’s new capitalist economy.

Offering more than 20,000 products online, their store showcases only a fraction of their inventory. Yet, they touch the lives of over 10,000 Albanians each month.It's incredible, considering they are now the market leader and expanding throughout the Balkan region.

This, my friends, is a story worth sharing. Don't stop building your vision, Valer!!!

I hope you enjoyed this eye-opening journey of Valer’s vision, which he’s not only created but is scaling to new countries.

I look forward to another hello this week in Barcelona) at the Shoptalk conference!

The Retail Nomad: "Traveling the world showing how retail is similar and yet different across the globe~!"