It’s hardly a secret that India’s D2C story began online, but omnichannel is the way forward as brands and startups look to get closer to the consumer.

But as more and more Indian D2C players try to hop the omnichannel train, they hit a wall. Not only are startups unable to find the right retail space, but there is a clear lack of a bridge which connects the online brand-building to the offline retail channel.

A plethora of D2C brands, such as Firstcry, Bombay Shirt Company, Lenskart, Rage Coffee, Mamaearth and Giva, are bullish on the omnichannel route but when they get there, they realise that malls, modern retail stores and general trade outlets lack the infrastructure that new-age D2C startups crave.

And when it comes to exclusive brand outlets, not many startups have the scale and the presence to make full use of the capital expenditure involved. Even fighting against legacy retail and FMCG players is an uphill task as these have well-established networks with retail channels.

So even as brands love the retail and omnichannel modes for the hands-on experience that they enable, there is a gap in the market. And this is the niche that Broadway wants to occupy.

Founded in March 2023 and with its first store now launched in Delhi NCR, Broadway claims to have cracked the modern retail formula for new-age D2C brands.

Conceptualised and launched by venture studio Think9, actor Rana Daggubati, real estate giant Anarock chairman Anuj Kejriwal and Salarpuria Group executive director Apurva Salarpuria, Broadway calls itself “A Theatre for Brands” allowing consumers to look, feel and interact with D2C brands in ways thus far unexplored.

In fact, Think9, being a venture studio, has co-created several brands, which are among the launch partners for Broadway in Delhi’s Ambience Mall, with two more outlets planned in Mumbai and Hyderabad.

Speaking to Inc42, Salarpuria said that while Broadway is the brainchild of Think9 cofounder Vivek Biyani, all four entities bring a unique edge to the table. Salarpuria’s experience in investing in the ecommerce and D2C space for the past decade, Daggubati’s star power and his brush with investments and creating retail spaces as well as Anarock’s real estate experience all play a key role for Broadway.

So what exactly is the........

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