One of Nairobi’s oldest and busiest shopping malls is set to undergo a huge face-lift in the coming months .
Popular Nairobi mall to be renovated for Sh4 Billion
The new mall plans to attract more international retailers and add on to its 20,000 visitors it caters for in a day
Sarit Centre, a mall based in Westlands, last week unveiled a Sh4 billion plan as it seeks to undergo renovation in a bid to keep up with standards of upcoming malls whose focus is largely pegged on size and quality.
The shopping mall which opened its doors in April 1983, seeks to expand its capacity which currently sits on 500, 000 sq. ft. and attract more visitors especially in the evening hours.
“Our consumers are getting younger and are savvier. We see the change as an opportunity to grow our legacy, hence the expansion,” said the Sarit Centre Director Nitin Shah.
Mr. Shah also added that the mall has set its sights on getting more international retailers who have recently set up shop in the country.
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“We are looking for ways to keep visitors at the mall after 6pm. We are open to fine dining options like specialty restaurants, pubs, cinemas. The new space will also have international retailers who have recently expanded into the country.”
Some of the retailers who have already expressed interest in moving into the new shopping centre include Turkey’s LC Waikiki and South Africa’s Woolworths.
The new mall, which is being constructed next to the existing one, will add an extra 300, 000 sq. ft. of space.
Sarit has remained to be a favorite shopping centre among many Kenyans and despite stiff competition from malls such as the recently launched multi-billion Two Rivers Mall, it still attracts an average of 20,000 visitors in a day.
And despite the ongoing expansion, Sarit will still have 13 acres of idle land with Mr. Shah saying that they do not have immediate plans to expand the business away from the site.
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