For example, new or expanded cooperations have been initiated with Smyths Toys, C&A and Al Carbon. As part of its strategy, URW focuses on megatrends in the industry and society. Other internationally renowned brands and long-standing partners such as H&M, JD Sports, Reserved, Marc O’Polo, Olymp & Hades, Pandora, Thalia and Media Markt enhance the center’s appeal and form fixed points in the tenant and brand mix.
“Our leasing strategy for Palais Vest is paying off in full,” says Paul Douay, Managing Director, Asset Management, Central Europe at URW. “We have added further highlights to the already attractive brand mix in recent months and are also offering visitors an optimized shopping and leisure experience with the modernizations and expansions of rental areas. In this way, we are positioning the center even more strongly as the linchpin of Recklinghausen’s city center, with a high level of appeal in the surrounding region.“
The popular toy chain Smyths Toys has relocated within the center and more than doubled its rental area from 730 sq m to 1,850 sq m. The new flagship store opened just in time for the celebrations surrounding the tenth anniversary of Palais Vest in mid-September.
URW is also further differentiating its tenant mix in the dining segment, thereby picking up on the current trend in consumer behaviour, whereby people are increasingly taking the time to enjoy high-quality and varied food: The restaurant Al Carbon, previously only located at Westfield Centro in Oberhausen, is now also providing culinary highlights in Recklinghausen with its high-quality steaks and fresh fish. The opening of Al Carbon took place in October.
C&A has implemented its latest shop concept at Palais Vest on a recently modernized rental area totalling around 2,500 sq m: in the redesigned store, the textile company combines a modern look for a bright, inviting ambience with a clear product layout for intuitive orientation for visitors. A beacon and visitor magnet at Palais Vest fashion segment continues to be the first German Reserved store at the time of opening, where the Polish brand successfully presents its trend-conscious collections for women, men and children on around 1,000 sq m.
With RIEGEL INTERIOR, a company with regional roots is also realizing an individually tailored concept at Palais Vest: on almost 800 sq m, the furniture store offers high-quality, new furniture and furnishing accessoires at particularly attractive prices.
URW serves the overarching megatrend of beauty and optimization of the external appearance with a 175 sq m flagship store of Rituals, the tattoo and piercing studio Glorious Art and the provider of professional beauty and health treatments My Health and Beauty.
Central Linchpin Of The City Center
In the middle of the year, URW created another focal point for parents and children to spend time together with a playground at Löhrhof in front of Palais Vest. To promote social interaction in Recklinghausen, Löhrhof is also an integral part of the city’s event program as a venue where people come together, for example at the city’s Christmas market or the Vest Christopher Street Day. Palais Vest is also the first shopping center in Germany to cooperate with around 150 retailers in Recklinghausen city center and has initiated a joint customer loyalty program with them using the RE-CARD. With its ten-year success story, the center now plays an important role as a local supplier with destination character. ‘Stadthaus’, which is located directly next to Palais Vest, in which the city of Recklinghausen is a long-term tenant, forms an important mixed-use element of the location.
Anniversary Celebrations: 10 Years. 1000 Moments. 1 Vest
Together with the people of Recklinghausen, Palais Vest celebrated its tenth anniversary on a larger scale in mid-September. The celebrations took place over three days with a variety of activities for children and adults as well as a diverse stage program. The birthday weekend was rounded off with an open Sunday and the StadtSportVest, organized in cooperation with local sports clubs, which took place throughout the center and the entire old town of Recklinghausen.
