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Trei Real Estate GmbH (“Trei”) just opened the 38th retail park of its Vendo Park brand in Poland. The property is located in Konin, a town of around 80,000 residents in the Greater Poland voivodeship. The new Vendo Park has a lettable area of around 5,400 sq m, with units let to Aldi, Rossmann, Pepco, Dealz, Kakadu, Sinsay and Piekarnia Grochola. On the whole, Trei invested about 6.4 million euros in the property.

Susan Hagerty Bonsak is the new CEO of Placewise and, in this role, one of the recent members of the ACROSS Advisory Board. She strongly believes in footfall and the future of physical malls. In her first interview with ACROSS, she shares her view on the European shopping center industry, the importance of data connected with technology, and why a collaborative focus of all stakeholders is so important.

In the heart of Riga, a revolution in retail festivity is unfolding. Spice Riga, a leading shopping center, is transforming into a breathtaking Christmas paradise, thanks to a groundbreaking collaboration with MK Illumination. This bespoke project, planned for 2023–2025, is not just a decoration initiative, but a reimagination of the shopping experience during the most wonderful time of the year.

After the extended Eurovea waterfront that includes Slovakia’s first skyscraper and the success of debut London projects, now J&T REAL ESTATE (JTRE) present Downtown Yards – a truely community orientated mixed use project.

Peel is celebrating a milestone year for Trafford Palazzo, the UK’s first next-generation experience centre. With nearly 5600 sq m of new deals secured in 2023, investment into TP Glow – Trafford Palazzo’s dedicated white box promotional space – and exciting developments adjacent to the centre, the destination has grown its footfall by 7% in the year.

In its 25th anniversary year, the Designer Outlet Parndorf celebrates the most successful year in the location’s history. ACROSS spoke to Mario Schwann, General Manager Designer Outlet Parndorf, about the return of international visitors, why maximum service orientation almost like in a first class hotel is the be-all and end-all, and what trends and developments are taking place at the location.

MEC will continue to be responsible for the management of six retail locations in the KGAL Investment Management portfolio. In addition, the management of two further locations will be transferred to MEC. The two companies have now signed an agreement to continue and expand their existing partnership. With the management package transferred to MEC, the Düsseldorf-based retail real estate specialist operates over 130,000 sq m of lettable retail space for KGAL.

Mitiska REIM has announced that following the successful completion of its value creation program, it has completed the sale of 25 retail parks in Romania to LCP Group for 219 million euros. This sale is one of the largest retail real estate transactions in Romania and more than doubles the original investment over an average holding period of 5 years for investors in the FRI and FRI 2 funds which owned the assets.

The grand opening of Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier in Hamburg, scheduled to take place in spring 2024, will mark the completion of Unibail-Rodamco Westfield’s (URW) largest inner-city development project. In an interview with ACROSS, Andreas Hohlmann, Managing Director Austria & Germany, talks about the role of retail and lifestyle destinations in modern society, the five trends that must be observed, and why size matters.

The F&B sector has changed significantly in recent years, not only in terms of the size of the market, but also in the variety and quality of the offering. As rents continue to rise in Europe, space previously dominated by fashion retailers is now being occupied by trendy gastronomic restaurants. People have evolved from collecting “things” to collecting “experiences”, and shopping centers have adapted to this change by improving and expanding their gastronomic offerings. Food and beverage (F&B) will play an even more crucial role in the success of retail real estate.

The biggest challenge facing the F&B industry is the cost of doing business. While the coronavirus has run its course through the markets, operators are struggling to return to profitability in the face of current economic challenges. Ian Hanlon, Director of Coverpoint, explains how the current challenges can be addressed and highlights trends in the shopping center food scene using best practice examples from the industry.

The European shopping center market overvalues design and investment but needs to pay more attention to atmosphere, interaction, and service, says Will Odwarka. This hurts the centers and especially their gastronomy section. The founder and CEO of Dubai-based Heartatwork Hospitality Consulting explains in his conversation with ACROSS editor Reinhard Winiwarter why excellent, personable service is the prerequisite for everything in the field of gastronomy.

Time Out Market is one of the first food hall concepts in Europe. From Lisbon, it has expanded internationally. The list of interested parties, from cities, operators, and restaurants, who want to be part of this success story is long, but new locations are carefully chosen. Sandy Hayek, CEO of Time Out Market, and Ana Alcobia, VP Iberia, explain the USP of their concept, the criteria they use to select locations and restaurants, and why being a media house at its core is so crucial for their success.

Today, more than ever, a first-class location, excellent management, and continuous further development are decisive for the future of a retail property. In addition to the location-specific sector and tenant mix, the gastronomic offer is crucial for success – as ECE Marketplaces shows.