A chef has cooked up a new business idea — selling electronic equipment and other goods at US prices.

Heinz Kleissner. a chef at Miles Market in Pembroke, took the plunge and is to open new store Hot Buys on Friday after selling computers and other electronics online for a year.

Mr Kleissner said: “We sell anything, but mostly electronics and I believe it’s a better buy than anyone else in Bermuda.”

He added: “I want to compete with online shopping because I can offer the same prices almost, so people don’t have to go online.”

Mr Kleissner said that half of his inventory was brand new, while some of it was “open box” — new, but in packaging that had been opened.

And he said he also sold jewellery, brand-name handbags and toys and was expecting a delivery of kitchenware in the near future.

In addition, the store has Playstations, bicycles and pet items like dog leashes.

Mr Kleissner added: “I put things online on sites like Emoo and Facebook for a year — it’s so expensive in Bermuda, so that was what gave me the idea to find things that were cheaper.”

He said a typical Dell laptop sold in Hot Buys for $550 — the same price as in the US.

He added: “With the recession, people are looking for better deals — it’s bargains, but the higher end stuff, like Coach handbags, again for the same price as in the States.”

Mr Kleissner said that potential customers of the store, at 107 North Shore Road in Pembroke, near the Clarke’s Tuxedo Shop, should check what’s available on a regular basis.

He explained: “If I get five laptops, I can’t guarantee I will get these five again. If things are gone, they’re gone.

“People should come in once a week to see what we have.”

And he promised: “Customers will be able to afford what they previously couldn’t afford and they won’t have to wait three weeks for things to arrive on the Island.”

Mr Kleissner declined to say how he could bring brand-name goods to the Island and sell them cheaper.

He said: “That’s my secret — but I can do it. I do work on a small profit margin as well, but it’s still workable.”

Hot Buys will be open Fridays and Saturday from 9am until 7pm and between 4pm and 7pm the rest of the week.

But Mr Kleissner said it was hoped to extend opening hours in the near future.