Europe Ireland : 3, Ireland’s mobile media network, opened its flagship mobile media store on Grafton Street today as part of its nationwide retail roll-out.

Earlier this month 3 opened stores in Henry St, Dublin and Shop St Galway adding to the 3Store already open in Cork and Waterford.

In total up to twenty eight "3Stores" will open in prime retail locations in shopping centres and High Streets, bringing mobile media stores to Ireland for the first time. The 3Store expansion is creating over two hundred jobs by the end of 2007 and involves a multi million euro investment in the Irish market.

Robert Finnegan, Managing Director 3 said: "We’re delighted to open in the heart of Dublin on Grafton St on one of the world’s busiest high streets. Our new 3Store is not like any other retail store in the city so come in and have a look around. We’re investing in the very latest handset technology and services and bringing that to Grafton St for the first time. Our stores provide an experience of the 3 brand and are not like any other retailer on the High St.

3’s investment in its own store chain brings the company a number of benefits:-

• A nationwide retail presence
• Increased brand exposure on the High St
• Cost efficiencies
• More control of the customer experience
• Builds customer loyalty

3’s mobile media stores bring the best in mobile entertainment to the mass market. Play pods and benches, entertainment bays, and even chill-out areas create a space for customers to enjoy 3’s products and services, whilst finding the right handsets and tariffs for them. The next 3Store opens in Navan, with plans up to three stores opening per month in 2007 to hit its target of nationwide coverage.

The 3Stores were designed by Hutchison Whampoa’s International Brand Group WHAM, the architects of the 3Stores were RPA in the UK and the retail sites were acquired by Fergus Slattery & Associates.

3 recently announced that its products and services were on sale in over 270 outlets nationwide through Xtra-vision; Carphone Warehouse; 3G stores, Tescos and independent outlets. 3’s own store roll-out is dramatically increasing its direct retail distribution ensuring 3 will have a nationwide chain of stores by the end of 2007.