Alexandra Township's First Pick 'n Pay
Alexandra township will soon have its very first Pick n Pay store located in
South Africa’s first fully-integrated shopping mall and taxi facility with Pan
Africa Shopping Centre.
The 16,000m2, top-quality Pan Africa Shopping Centre, superbly located at the
heart of the area’s iconic transport and retail node, is set to offer
Alexandra’s residents their shopping choice and convenience, starting from March
2009 when the new centre opens.
This exciting retail development will provide a quality, first-world shopping
environment structured along the lines of leading shopping centres in South
Africa and has attracted a 2,800m2 Pick n Pay as anchor tenant. Some 80% of
tenants comprise national retailers, featuring some of South Africa’s favourite
retail and food brands. A large number of retailers from Alexandra will be
represented for the first time in Pan Africa Shopping Centre.
Pick n Pay’s property and operations director, Izak Joubert explains that Pick n
Pay has been entering markets, in which it was previously not established under
the Pick n Pay brand, by converting Score stores and also by opening new stores
in green-fields developments.
“Last year was our first entry into the Soweto market under the Pick ‘n Pay
banner and we are extremely pleased to follow this up so quickly with
Alexandra,” enthuses Joubert. “Alexandra is one of the oldest suburbs of
Johannesburg and it is therefore fitting that Pick ‘n Pay Alexandra is opening
relatively early in the Pick ‘n Pay roll-out to these markets.”
Joubert explains that Pick n Pay’s approach to entering these markets, for the
most part, has been via the franchise model so as to create a platform for an
owner who is also the operator. “Aside from empowerment, this really helps in
achieving a connection with the community that the store serves. This particular
site is a really good one and we know that it will be a success for Pick ‘n Pay
and that it will serve the community of Alexandra well.”
Joining Pick n Pay at Pan Africa Shopping Centre, leading retailers include
Exact, John Craig, Skipper Bar, Legit, Link Pharmacy, Jet Mart, Pep, Markham,
Post Office, Nedbank, Savells, Fairdeal, Glomail, Jive City, Multiserve, Tab, OK
Furniture and cellular operators Vodacom and MTN will all have shops at Pan
Africa Shopping Centre. Complementing this is a unique mixture of local
retailers spanning everything from fashion and beauty to medical, internet café
and DVD rentals.
Pan Africa Shopping Centre’s impressive variety of food outlets includes
MacDonalds, King Pie, Steers, Debonairs, Fish ‘n Chips, KFC, McDonalds, Milky
Lane, Pantsula Bites, Captain Dorego’s and Meat & Chicken.
Pan Africa Shopping Centre is part of the Presidential Alexandra Renewal Project
– a massive initiative aimed at improving living conditions and upgrading human
capacity, including environmental development, human skills, housing and
infrastructure programmes. The mall is being developed by Pan Africa DevCo, a
development company established by Tebfin Developments in partnership with local
entrepreneurs and the two main taxi associations in Alexandra: ATA and ARMSTA.
“It is incredibly positive that Pick n Pay together with leading South African
retailers and international companies see an opportunity to grow their
businesses in Alexandra. It emphasises the growing strength of the area’s local
economy and the increasingly important role Alexandra residents are taking on as
valuable consumers. By creating employment, opportunities and sustainable
businesses, Pan Africa Mall will further boost the economy of Alexandra,” says
Darlene Louw, Deputy Director of the Alexandra Renewal Project.
Pan Africa Shopping Centre is the first fully-integrated shopping mall and taxi
facility developed by public-private partnership of Gauteng Department of
Housing, The Department of Public Transport, Roads and Works and Department of
Finance and Economic Affairs, The City of Johannesburg and the Pan African
Development Company.
It forms part of a comprehensive retail and taxi node including a
super-efficient 50,000m2 taxi rank, three-level holding facility for taxis,
public parking and structured informal trading. The combined retail offering in
the node exceeds 40,000m2, which is equivalent to that of a regional shopping
mall.
Alexandra township lies less than 5km to the east of the Sandton CBD, South
Africa's financial hub and Pan Africa Shopping Centre is located at the gateway
to Alexandra -- on the corner of 3rd Ave and Watt St in one of Alexandra's
busiest areas with some 10,000 people and 1,500 operating taxis using the area
each day, from Louis Botha Avenue, central Johannesburg, nearby Sandton and in
fact, anywhere in South Africa and Africa.
Tebogo Mogashoa of Pan Africa Development Company believes that Pan Africa
Shopping Centre’s location in a natural transport and retail node situated on
the historic site formerly known as Pan Africa, which originally housed a bus
depot, has been a major draw card for retailers. “Pan Africa serves the same
role as a major train or underground station in the UK, or even a ‘port’ for
travellers throughout South Africa and Africa. Globally these high-traffic
commuter nodes are considered prime by retailers,” says Mogashoa.
“The integration of the shopping centre into a very busy transport hub was
without a doubt the most challenging aspect of the project but also most
satisfactory as it has meant that we have been able to create an incredibly
convenient shopping experience for consumers,” explains Mogashoa. Essentially
the complex is divided by a road into two distinct structures, with the
buildings linked by two bridges. Local taxis will drop commuters and shoppers at
a shuttle rank on the shop level of the retail mall.
Despite many other townships already having shopping malls Pan Africa Shopping
Centre will be one of the first shopping centres that Alexandra residents can
call their own and will assist in ensuring that consumer spend remains within
the local economy, bringing with it all the associated financial, social and
employment benefits.
With its dynamic tenant mix, the mall will compete head-to-head with centres
such as Balfour Park, Greenstone Mall, Sandton City Midrand and the Jo’burg CBD,
where many Alex residents currently spend their money.
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