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From Seller in Brusque to Owner of a 3,000 m² Store in Just Three Years, Luciano Hang Reveals on the Flow Podcast How He Started Havan.
Luciano Hang, founder of Havan, recalled on the Flow Podcast how he went from being a factory worker in Brusque to owning one of the largest retail chains in Brazil.
Luciano recalled that he comes from a family of factory workers in Brusque (SC): grandparents, parents, and he himself worked in a textile factory called Renault.
He started working at 14 years old and stayed at the company for seven years until he was promoted to sales. It was then that, according to him, he discovered his true vocation: “I love selling, I love people”.
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In his childhood, he shared that he suffered a lot in school due to dyslexia. “I only learned to read at 12 years old. Imagine if I had learned at 7, I would be much better off”, he stated.
He explained that he worked hard reading comics and newspapers so he wouldn’t be embarrassed in Portuguese classes.
First Experience as an Entrepreneur
In 1984, at 22 years old, he founded a small towel weaving business. To sell his goods, he used a simple car and worked with his father.
However, he soon realized that the numbers didn’t add up: “My cost was 20, I sold for 10, and the wholesaler resold for 100. Then I thought: my business is not weaving, my business is to open a store”. Upon understanding this, he decided he should set up Havan.
Establishment of Havan
Two years later, in 1986, at 24 years old, he opened the first store in Brusque. The name came from the combination of his surname with that of his partner: Hang + Vanderlei = Havan.
The space was the size of a regular room and had only one employee.
Initially, he sold fabric by the meter to garment makers, taking advantage of the strength of the Santa Catarina textile hub.
Three years later, he already had a 3,000 m² store, solely for fabrics. The growth came because, according to him, he always listened to customers: “We started adding bedding, tableware, and bath items, then rugs, and that’s how we grew”.
The Turning Point with Imports
A decisive moment occurred in 1995, during his honeymoon. Hang traveled to South Africa and noticed the price difference of products coming from Asia.
“I spoke with the guys and saw that the products were costing cents. I called Brusque and said: schedule a meeting Monday morning because I found another business”, he recounted.
That’s how Havan entered the import market, broadening the product mix and attracting even more customers.
Accelerated Growth
From a small store, the chain grew to units with over 55,000 m², including a cinema and food courts. “Today Havan is perhaps the largest department store in Latin America, a shopping center where you can buy everything in one place”, said Hang.
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