Havan
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedBrazilian department store chain known for large-format stores, eclectic merchandise, Neo-Greek-inspired facades, and Statue of Liberty replicas.
Last updated October 16, 2026
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Overview
Havan is a Brazilian department store chain headquartered in Brusque, in the state of Santa Catarina. Founded in 1986 by Luciano Hang and Vanderlei de Limas, the company developed as a retailer and wholesaler of national and imported merchandise. Its stores are designed as destination retail sites rather than conventional small-format shops, combining broad product assortment with highly recognizable architecture and exterior landmarks. Many branches feature facades inspired by Neo-Greek architecture and a replica of the Statue of Liberty, creating a consistent visual identity across the chain and making individual stores prominent roadside and regional landmarks. The company’s development was closely linked to changes in the economics of imported goods. In 1999, Havan opened two branches in Curitiba. The devaluation of the Chinese yuan contributed to a strategic reorientation toward the department-store sector, after which the company expanded its presence in Santa Catarina and other locations, including Florianópolis, Criciúma, Joinville, and Balneário Camboriú. This shift supported a broader retail model in which customers could purchase a wide range of goods under one roof rather than visiting specialized stores for separate categories. Havan operates in both wholesale and retail channels and sells a mixture of domestic and imported products. The department-store format encompasses general merchandise rather than a narrowly defined specialty category. The available reference material identifies the chain as a seller of national and imported goods but does not provide a complete category-by-category assortment, financial disclosures, or a detailed account of its corporate structure. Havan is therefore best characterized as a large Brazilian general-merchandise retailer whose differentiation rests on scale, breadth of assortment, visual branding, and destination-oriented store design. As of 2026, the chain was reported to have 195 stores across 23 Brazilian states and the Federal District. Its operating footprint remains domestic rather than international. Havan’s public-facing identity is strongly associated with its physical stores and landmark architecture, while its official website provides an additional digital channel for the brand. Detailed information on current executives, ownership arrangements, revenue, listing status, and individual product brands is not established in the supplied reference material. As of 2026, the chain was reported to have 195 stores across 23 Brazilian states and the Federal District. Its operations remain domestic rather than international. Havan’s public image is closely tied to its physical stores and landmark architecture, while its official website provides an additional digital channel. Details on current executives, ownership arrangements, revenue, listing status, and individual product brands are not established in the available reference material.
History
Havan was established in 1986 by Luciano Hang and Vanderlei de Limas in Brazil. The company is headquartered in Brusque, Santa Catarina, the state where its retail identity and early expansion were rooted. It operates as a department store chain while also selling national and imported goods through wholesale and retail channels. A documented expansion point came in 1999, when Havan opened two branches in Curitiba. Around this period, the devaluation of the Chinese yuan affected the economics of imported merchandise and encouraged the company to change its commercial direction. Havan reoriented itself toward the department-store sector, moving beyond a narrower retail concept to a broader general-merchandise format. The company subsequently opened additional branches in Florianópolis, Criciúma, Joinville, and Balneário Camboriú, strengthening its presence in southern Brazil. The chain’s store architecture became a central part of its identity. Havan locations are associated with facades resembling Neo-Greek architecture, and most branches have replicas of the Statue of Liberty positioned in front of the store. These features give the chain a highly consistent visual language and turn many branches into prominent local landmarks. The architecture supports a destination-retail model in which the physical store itself is part of the customer experience, rather than merely a neutral container for merchandise. Havan’s retail proposition is based on selling a wide variety of domestic and imported products through large department-store locations. The supplied reference material does not enumerate all merchandise categories or identify specific private-label brands, so the company is more accurately described at the general-merchandise level. It also does not provide sufficient information to document detailed financial performance, ownership changes, public listing activity, or a full executive history. By 2026, Havan was reported to operate 195 stores in 23 Brazilian states and the Federal District. This footprint makes it a nationally distributed Brazilian retailer, although the available material identifies no international operating market. The company’s official website remains its principal cited digital reference, while its most distinctive public-facing characteristics are its broad assortment, large physical-store network, unusual architecture, and Statue of Liberty replicas.
- 2026
Reported national store footprint
[1]Havan was reported to have 195 stores across 23 Brazilian states and the Federal District.
- 1999
Expansion to Curitiba
[1]Havan opened two branches in Curitiba and began a documented phase of geographic expansion.
- 1999
Reorientation toward department stores
[1]The devaluation of the Chinese yuan prompted Havan to redirect its business toward the department-store sector.
- 1986
Havan is founded
[1]Luciano Hang and Vanderlei de Limas founded Havan in Brazil.
Products and positioning
Large-format Brazilian department store and general-merchandise retailer emphasizing broad assortment, destination shopping, distinctive architecture, and recognizable Statue of Liberty replicas.
Department store
General department-store merchandise
Havan’s core offering is a broad department-store assortment rather than a single specialized product line. The chain sells national and imported goods through large-format retail locations, allowing customers to shop across multiple general-merchandise categories in one store. The supplied sources do not provide a reliable detailed list of individual categories or named product brands.
General merchandise
National and imported goods
Havan’s merchandise mix includes goods sourced from Brazil and from international suppliers. This combination reflects the company’s wholesale and retail model and became particularly relevant to its strategic shift toward the department-store format around 1999. No complete supplier or product-brand roster is established in the supplied reference material.
Brand decisions
1999
Shift toward the department-store modelStrategyBackground
The devaluation of the Chinese yuan affected the commercial environment for imported goods and preceded a change in Havan’s business direction.
Action taken
Havan reoriented its operations toward the department-store sector and expanded into additional Brazilian cities.
Aftermath
The shift was followed by openings in locations including Florianópolis, Criciúma, Joinville, and Balneário Camboriú, supporting the chain’s later national expansion.
Recent events
Sources3 sources
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