Companies

Eleven banks book space at Two Rivers mall

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An artist’s impression of the Two Rivers mall which is being built in Nairobi. PHOTO | COURTESY

Eleven commercial banks have booked space at Centum’s upcoming Two Rivers mall, targeting the 40,000 people expected to be visiting the facility daily.

The lenders will join a growing list of tenants – including several international brands – that have reserved the 220 shops available at the shopping complex which is expected to open its doors to the public by the end of the year.

Barclays Bank, Standard Chartered, Kenya Commercial Bank and Co-operative Bank, Imperial Bank, K-Rep, CfC Stanbic, Prime Bank and Chase Bank are set to open new branches in Two Rivers’ banking section situated on the mall’s rooftop.

“There has been significant demand from banks seeking to set up in the mall, but we did not have space to accommodate everybody,” said James Mworia, Centum’s chief executive.

Commercial banks have earmarked shopping malls as lucrative locations given the high human traffic that frequents these facilities.

Recent shopping malls like TRM situated along Thika Highway have attracted several banks including Diamond Trust, Barclays, ABC, NIC, Oriental Commercial, KCB, StanChart and CBA.

“We expect over 40,000 visitors to the mall every day and coupled with the businesspeople who will be operating here, it is easy to see why banks are attracted to the mall,” said Mr Mworia.

The Two Rivers mall, which will be operating under a different name once it opens in October, covers an area of 1.2 million square feet excluding parking space for 3,000 vehicles.

Construction of the mall will cost at least Sh15.5 billion, another Sh2.8 billion will go towards setting up infrastructure while Sh3.8 billion will be used to construct apartments later this year.

French retailer Carrefour is set to be the mall’s anchor tenant with other brands being LC Wakiki – a Turkish luxury clothing line – and Virgin Active, a platinum health club.

Other brands that are expected to set up in the three-floored mall include; Adidas, Hugo Boss, Porsche, Essentials, Lacoste and Foschini.