<div>Part of the reconstructed Zlín Department Store will be opened to the public</div>

The department store was built by Baťa in 1931 according to a design by architect František Lydie Gahura. During the reconstruction, the building returned to its original appearance, particularly the unusual division of the windows. The reconstruction took 16 months, and costs are about 450 million crowns excluding VAT.

Only the supporting skeleton remained from the original structure; against the original plans, the building's static structure had to be reinforced. "Investments to strengthen the structure were the reason why the originally planned opening date was postponed by about two months. Safety was our top priority," Pilich stated, adding that the situation in the construction industry also complicated the work. "There's a shortage of materials and labor," Pilich noted.

The restoration particularly respected the external appearance of the building. "We tried to return the façade of the building to its original appearance. The gradation of the glazed elements, which decrease in size towards the top, can be felt there. An innovative feature is the glass addition on the tenth floor," architect Jaroslav Ševčík explained. The house is white, and the tenants' logos on the façade are in a uniform style. The department store now has escalators; the moving stairs were already in the building in 1934, reportedly the first in the Czech Republic. The building has gained around sixty parking spaces.

The department store also had light-colored plaster when it opened, even though Baťa's buildings were traditionally made of bricks. Gahura, who largely conceptualized the nearby Práce Square where the building stands, also designed the neighboring Velké kino with light plaster. "Gahura was a person who varied; he did not stick to one style or model," historian Zdeněk Pokluda remarked, noting that the department store opened in December 1931 so people could shop there before Christmas. Initially, however, stores were only available on a few floors, with more added in 1932 and 1933. Besides stores, the building also housed dining rooms.

In the reconstruction, multiple sales floors were utilized for sales; currently, the commercial spaces are concentrated on two floors. "We found reasonable use for the building as a whole, because the entire structure of ten floors could not be used for commerce," Pilich explained. The third to sixth floors of the department store were rented by the Zlín company HP TRONIC, which operates the Datart, Euronics, and Kasa.cz store and e-commerce networks, owns the ETA brand, and operates Resort Valachy.

The company will move its headquarters to the building; it previously had offices in several locations in downtown Zlín. "Our employees will move here during January," said Daniel Večeřa, the company's general director. HP TRONIC will also utilize the highest floors of the department store and will build a hotel with an experiential restaurant in them. "In 2019, we will begin preparations to build a wellness center and an experiential restaurant on the top floor with a panoramic view of Zlín. Subsequently, a lodging section will be added," Večeřa added.