KYIV. Nov 14 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Blockbuster Mall in Kyiv will reach 70% occupancy by December 1, the restart date, the shopping center’s Chief Operating Officer Dmytro Lashyn told Interfax-Ukraine.
“Visitors will be received by 100,000 square meters of 148,000 square meters of lettable space. New tenants have been added – Goldi, Vsi Svoi, CCC, Chico, Sport City, etc.,” he said.
According to Lashyn, one of the brands expected by consumers, Mango, will open in November, and H&M “in the near future, which will be announced by the company itself.” Companies such as MD-Fashion, Ultrashop, Intertop (MTI), and TD Mann are resuming their work.
One of the anchors, Silpo, resumes operation on December 1 on an area of 4,370 square meters (before reconstruction, the retailer occupied approximately 8,000 square meters).
The largest skate park-roller rink in Ukraine with an area of 1,814 square meters has already been opened on the ground floor of the renovated Blockbuster Mall. A tenant has been identified for the food court on the second floor, which will present its brands of various cuisines.
Some tenants who do not have time to complete repairs by December 1 are planning to open in February-April. Among them are Adidas, Antoshka, etc.
As for IKEA, the official position of the brand remains unchanged (after the end of the war). However, as Lashyn said, in the negotiation process the Ukrainian side “receives positive messages,” which allow the mall to hope for a return in the first quarter of next year.
Lashyn reported that next year the pool of tenants will be replenished with two new brands for the Ukrainian market.
“I can’t voice them yet, but these companies are widely known in the world. We are at the final stage of negotiations. Signing is planned at MAPIC at the end of November,” he said.