Type Public Key people Olaf Szymanowski, CEO Founded 1991 Parent organization Empik Media & Fashion | Area served Poland, Ukraine Website empik.com Headquarters Warsaw | |
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Number of locations 134 in Poland, 23 in Ukraine (as of 2009) Subsidiaries Gry-Online, Virtualo Sp. z o.o., Esprentino Trading Limited, Bukva Profiles | ||
Empik (stylised as empík), is a Polish commercial chain selling books, international press and media products (including film, music, and software). The chain also owns a photo company, Empik Foto, as well as a foreign language school, Empik School.
History
EMPiK chain began during Poland's communist period as KMPiK (Polish: Klub Międzynarodowej Prasy i Książki, the International Press and Book Club) owned by the Prasa-Książka-Ruch monopoly which financed the PZPR Party from its revenue. In 1991 it was acquired by businessmen Jacek Dębski, Janusz Romanowski (a former reserve police officer) and Yaron Bruckner, and given its current name. While initially it was partially owned by the Polish state, in 1994 it was sold completely by the State Treasury to Bruckner's Eastbridge N.V.. In May 2009 EMPiK had 134 stores in Poland and 23 stores in Ukraine.