50 retail shops set to open Thursday at Garden City Mall

Over 50 retail shops are set to open on Thursday at the Garden City Mall in Nairobi following the completion of Phase 1 of the Sh2.3 billion project.

The mall, located on Thika road off Exit 6, will eventually have 120 retail shops, with the remaining outlets opening gradually until the end of July.

The shops feature local and international brands including South Africa’s retailer Massmart, which will open its first Kenyan shop through its Subsidiary Game.

“The mall is a state of the art facility and we are really excited to open up. It observes environmental sustainability principles and has an international quality design,” said the Garden City development director Michael Kingslott on Wednesday.

The residential side of Phase 1 of the mall has 76 two and three-bedroom apartments and duplexes which are fully booked and owners are expected to move in by end of July.

The German-designed mall has a photovoltaic car park canopy located on the roof top. It has solar panels that are expected to produce approximately 1,246,000 kWh per year.

Mr Kingslott said the mall also has ample parking space for customers.

A distinguishing feature of the mall is a central park that has an amphitheatre where events will be staged.

“The community and visitors of Garden City Mall can enjoy events such as fashion shows and concerts. The idea is to engage with the local community,” he said.

READ: Massmart cuts prices for Garden City Mall

Phase 2 of the project kicked off in February.

Leasing of the offices and residential building under construction is also ongoing, with “over 65 per cent” sold, according to the management.
The residential area of will have four bedroom villas and construction is expected to be completed by 2017.

Retail shops take up 33,000 square metres of Phase 1 while retail shops on Phase 2 of the project are expected to take up 11,000 square metres.

Asked to give a time frame when the mall is expected to start making profit, the development director said that the project was a “long-term investment.”

He said that the mall had invested in international security systems.

Once completed, the 32-acre shopping complex will have over 200 apartments, a 50,000 square metres retail space and extensive food courts, 25,000 square metres of office space, a business hotel, a central park with an amphitheatre, a children’s playground and a public art displaying works by Kenyan artists.

Brands that will open shops in the Actis funded mall include Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) Bata, Mr Price, Tile and Carpet, Basco paints, Victoria Furniture among others.