A dozen new brands on over 3 000 sq. meters and nearly 90% of retail space pre-let – these are the most recent figures summarizing the leasing process of Galeria Katowicka. The tenant list of Upper Silesia’s newest shopping center has been joined by EMPiK and Tally Weijl, among others.
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Despite a precarious situation on the Polish commercial space market, Katowice’s most remarkable project is getting new tenants. Based on lease agreements signed in March, Galeria Katowicka will have stores of EMPiK– Polish largest sales network of books, music records, movies, computer games, software and accessories, newspapers, magazines and event tickets, Smyk – most popular chain of products for kids, as well as fashion brands: Tally Weijl and Gerry Weber. The mall located in the very heart of Katowice will also offer Silesia’s first shop with prestigious lingerie – Chantelle.
“Although there are still a few months left until the opening of Galeria Katowicka, the first retail areas are ready for tenants. The leasing process is coming to a close, with little more than 10% still to let. In fact, this is the final call for tenants to decide whether they want to be present in Galeria Katowicka as we are bound to run out of empty units very soon” – says Agata Brzezińska, Country Manager at Neinver Poland, the company developing Galeria Katowicka.
Galeria Katowicka’s opening will substantially increase the retail space saturation in Silesia, which – despite perfect conditions – was lower than nationwide. The real size of the Upper Silesian agglomeration comes as a shock to many people – it has over 3 million residents, i.e. more than half a million more than Warsaw’s agglomeration. Surprisingly, inhabitants of Silesia also earn more than people in Warsaw: an average monthly salary in Katowice is PLN 4 949, as opposed to PLN 4 821 in Warsaw.
“Moreover, it is very easy to move around Silesia by car. The agglomeration’s southern part has A4 expressway, while its central section is connected by DTŚ road with over 1 million people living next to it” – says Monika Olejnik-Okuniewska from Neinver Poland, the investor of the multifunctional transportation, retail and business center, a part of which is Galeria Katowicka.
Although all these factors make Katowice and the surrounding areas an ideal location for shopping malls, the GLA per a thousand residents is not too high. In that respect, Silesia is ranked 7th, trailing behind the Tri-City, Wrocław, Poznań, Warsaw, Łódź and Szczecin. That list will soon undergo some changes, mostly due to Galeria Katowicka and its 50 000 sq. meters of retail space.
“In 2008 we signed an agreement with PKP Group, based on which one of Poland’s most modern Railway Stations was opened in October 2012, followed by an underground bus terminal in February 2013. Now we are focused on completing the construction process for Galeria Katowicka and leasing its retail space” – adds Monika Olejnik-Okuniewska.
The perfect location in the heart of the Silesian capital, close to A4 expressway, DTŚ road and right next to the railway station used by approx. 12m passengers each year result in the project’s impressive performance despite an economic slowdown – only 10% of retail space remains to be let.
“Another issue that works to the advantage of Galeria Katowicka in the eyes of its potential tenants is that it is nearly complete, with the first customers getting an opportunity to shop there this year” – adds Agata Brzezińska.
Except for well-known brands’ stores, Galeria Katowicka offers its customers a wide range of service points, Stokrotka supermarket and a varied array of restaurants and cafes. Silesia’s residents will also be drawn by Multikino – Poland’s only movie theater chain to have recorded a rise in the number of visitors last year. Multikino in Galeria Katowicka is about to become one of the most modern multiplexes in Poland.
source: Neinver’s press office