Gemkell Corp. is expanding its luxury line of products in the Pacific with the opening of a Dunhill flagship store in Hawaii and boutiques in Micronesia.

Gemkell owned and operated from Guam imports Dunhill products for the Richemont Group and has been doing business as Dunhill Boutique on Guam since March 1.

Richard M. Hawes president of Gemkell said he will not only manage the Dunhill retail boutique at the Tumon Sands Plaza in Tumon but also the retail store in the Ala Moana Shopping Center in Hawaii. The Dunhill retail site in Oahu is scheduled to open in September and staff seven employees.

“The boutique will carry all the menswear and the full range of Dunhill products which consist of small and large leather goods watches and costume jewelry ” Hawes said.

In September another Dunhill boutique will open at the Duty Free Shoppers Galleria in Waikiki. He said the DFS shop which will be a smaller store occupying 700 square feet will carry the Dunhill product line of leather goods and accessories.

Hawes said the contemporary product line was becoming more popular with the major Asian tourist markets such as Japan China and Korea. He said Hawaii’s visitor arrivals are almost double when compared to Guam. Hawaii’s visitor arrival number for 2005 is forecast at 1.8 million.

Hawes said “Though in line with the confidence of Dunhill a new boutique will be opening at the Tinian Dynasty Hotel Casino in June. The 700-square-foot-boutique will also carry leather goods and accessories.”

As first reported in the April 5 2004 issue of the Journal importing Dunhill products to authorized retailers in Micronesia Gemkell operates the boutique at the Tumon Sands Plaza and sells luxury leather goods clothing and accessories. These include lighters pens watches cufflinks tie bars and costume jewelry. DFS Galleria Guam also carries some Dunhill products available in such locations as the general merchandising areas. Hawes said when the DFS Galleria completes ongoing renovations the Dunhill products will move to a boutique location along with the other major brands. Renovations are expected to be completed around December 2005 or January 2006. Hawes said DFS and Dunhill are still negotiating the operations of the boutique. Hawes the Dunhill representative for Guam and the flagship store in Hawaii will still be tasked to ensure the proper merchandising of stock and its prices.

Established in England in 1893 Alfred Dunhill is now part of the Richemont Group. Its portfolio includes a line of luxury brands such as Cartier Montblanc Jaeger-Lecoultre Baume & Mercier Van Cleef & Arpels Lancel Chloe and IWC. MBJ