An exclusive profile by John Gallagher
Cellshop – one of the leading South American border duty free operators, has grown in the last 22 years from very humble beginnings.
Originally opened under the name of the Cell Motion Group by company founder and president Jorbel Griebeler, it was a small 12 sqm store with only three employees, selling spare parts, chargers, and batteries for cellular telephones. The company now operates a full-service multi-category duty free shop in the center of Ciudad del Este, a vibrant store in the Paraguayan capital Asuncion, the biggest land border duty free store in Brazil along with two airport stores in Foz do Iguaçu, and as of September, a 5,000 sqm store in Pedro Juan Caballero in northern Paraguay on the border with Brazil.
The company today is recognized as one of the most important retailers in Ciudad del Este, and as the group continues to expand many Argentine and Brazilian shoppers make it their first port of call when they make shopping trips to the Triple Frontier region.
Cellshop began operations back in 2003 as a small cell phone and accessories store in Ciudad del Este. Since then, the company has recorded growth every year, except during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Since 2011, when consumer electronics were added to the original range of cell phones and accessories, it has grown significantly. In 2015 more new categories and products were added along with a move to the actual store that has become a 7,000 sqm, five-floor department store in the downtown area of Ciudad del Este. An impressive range of cell phones, computers, TVs, video games, perfumes and cosmetics, wines and spirits, confectionery, clothing, footwear, and household appliances now constitute the products on sale. One of the busiest stores in Ciudad del Este, an estimated 10,000 customers visit the main Cellshop store daily.
In April 2021, the Cellshop Group opened its first store outside Paraguay with the inauguration of a 2,400 sqm duty free store in the Catuaí Palladium shopping mall in Foz do Iguaçu. The store is currently the biggest land-based border store in Brazil, and carries all the leading duty free categories. The store was opened to the public with Covid-19 restrictions still in place.
Cellshop invested $1 million to prepare the store in Foz and even though traffic flows would not reach normality until all Covid restrictions were removed. The expansion into Brazil added a new dimension to the company’s operations.
With a base already established in Brazil and with mobility restrictions removed, Cellshop continued its expansion. In Q2 of 2023 its Brazilian subsidiary opened its first venture in airport retail with an 800 sqm duty free store along with a smaller satellite store in the departure lounge at Foz do Iguaçu International Airport.
Many of the Cellshop customers live in Asuncion and in order to give better service and meet the needs of Paraguayans living in the capital city, a new store was opened in Asuncion in Q3 2024. This new store has a wide range of cell phones and household electronics such as TVs and computers.
In 2024, Cellshop announced its most ambitious project to date: a 53,000 sqm shopping mall in Ciudad del Este, just a five-minute walk from the Friendship Bridge that links Ciudad del Este in Paraguay with Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil.
The mall will have 22,000 square meters of retail space, a 10,000 sqm logistics warehouse, a food court, two premium restaurants and parking for more than 400 cars and 40 buses; the mall will also house an events center with capacity for more than 3,000 people.
The shopping mall is due to be completed by the end of 2026, and the company hopes to create more than 1600 jobs in the new venture.
The Cellshop objective is to give the city a multifunctional space combining commerce, entertainment, and culture. Griebeler comments: “We want to give a new life to Ciudad del Este, with infrastructure that transcends the shopping experience and turns the border into a regional attraction hub.”
A strong, consistent social media presence is a vital element of the company’s digital strategy. The company works with Brazilian and Argentine influencers to help attract visitors to the physical store.
“In Brazil, we do very thorough marketing with influencers in different target groups. That gave us great credibility and today thousands of tourists come every day,” highlights Griebeler. “Thus, the company combines logistics, technology, and communication to sustain its market positioning.”
In early September of this year, the company opened a new 5,000 sqm store in the Dubai Shopping Mall in Pedro Juan Caballero. The new multi-category store is targeted at middle class Brazilians living in the Matto Grosso region of southern Brazil – historically, this target group is known for high disposable income which they like to spend on imported goods. The new tore will carry a similar range of products that can be found in Ciudad del Este with emphasis on technology, premium fragrances and cosmetics, wines and spirits, fashion, and toys.
According to the company, the Cellshop staff in Pedro Juan Caballero will be supported with an aggressive promotional campaign. Marketing director Dorothy Lee confirmed that the mega promotion running in Ciudad del Este to raffle a latest technology Xiaomi SU7 electric car would be extended to customers shopping in the new store.
Lee highlighted that Cellshop is unique as the company makes a huge effort to improve the general shopping experience.
“We are a young group, and we are investing heavily in marketing and improving the shopping experience for each customer, giving the very best service and offering an exciting variety of products in each category,” she said.
She added: “Like our stores in Ciudad del Este and Asuncion, all departments in Pedro Juan Caballero will have trained personnel to advise customers; even if they do not know exactly what product they need, we will give them the best service – they will not just be salespeople but true specialists in each area. Our intention is to be part of the customer’s journey, to accompany them with personalized attention, quality, and trust, in Pedro Juan Caballero and at every point where we are present,” said Lee.
After 20 years of startling growth, Cellshop stands out as one of the great Paraguayan success stories of recent years.
Griebeler summarizes, “We want to continue honoring what God has given us to this day, by opening more stores, bringing new brands, and generating opportunities.”
