Retail and Entertainment blend at Prestige Plaza with a Br Sports Bar and Family Entertainment Centre (FEC) as the mall undergoes a Face Lift

The Kenyan shopping mall boom while on a slow growth trajectory in light of the post-Covid popularity of neighborhood, convenience or strip malls, still continues to remain strong given their unique focus on the consumer’s lifestyle experience which goes beyond day-to-day convenience shopping.

Most, if not all retailers saw their businesses take the brunt of Covid lockdowns, with non-performing branches having to close permanently, staff downsizing, operational cuts, stronger competition from e-commerce and online shopping, supply and distribution chains disrupted with retailers having to rethink their business models to adapt to rapid shifts and ensuring they remain sustainable long term.

And as consumer behavior continues to shape the transformation for retail in the market, Prestige Plaza is transforming its retail spaces into family, community and entertainment spaces, bringing to the discerning consumer the best of brands, food, and entertainment, thus creating a hub where people go to spend time, rejuvenate, socialise and entertain.

‘Being one of the first few malls since early 2000s, there was always the plan to renovate the mall – to adapt to consumer needs, to help manage traffic flow and support tenants with best efforts to rake in footfall as well as ensure there is a smoother management process with the backbone of having a deep understanding of consumers. Covid just happened to be a good time to finally start making changes and rethink what shopper lifestyle at Prestige can be for the consumer. We wanted to attract a community that isn’t just passing through, but one that returns,’’ says Mr. Jitesh Upadhyay, Director of Primrose Management.

The concept of Family Entertainment Centers (FECs) was into existence a long time before the shopping mall was modernised. Randy White, CSM CEO of White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group, writes in a research paper titled ‘The Role of Entertainment in Shopping Centers & Malls’, “Ever since the mid-1950s, when the suburban enclosed mall model first evolved, entertainment has always been some part of the mix. It might only be music, a central mall court with a periodic fashion or other shows, seasonal decorations or a visit by the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus. Back in the 1950s through the 1970s, away-from-home dedicated entertainment centre venues where not a part of the suburban scene, so were rarely found in shopping centres and malls, unless at a tourist location.”

Globally, malls are no longer just conventional shopping destinations with a single anchor tenant. Consumers value experiences and entertainment, spending quality time with friends and family with most retailers are adopting multichannel sales and marketing models to enhance engagement online while driving footfall to brick-and-mortar stores to grow sales and think beyond seasonal campaigns.

Investing close to Kshs. 500 million on the mall renovations, a new Sports Bar, Family Entertainment Centre (FEC) and giving the mall a general face lift had its own unique set of challenges amid Covid lockdowns, the war in Ukraine, rising cost of raw materials, shipping, dollar and pound fluctuations to mention a few.

Speaking at the private launch of the new Sports Bar, Iqbal Deogun of Spire Studio Architects Ltd stated, ‘The approximately 40,000 square feet FEC is designed to feature a 12-lane bowling alley as well as 4 secluded HyperBowling lanes, a 12-hole Mini Golf area, Strike Arena, a three-level Kids Play area with bumper cars, Food and Beverage Area, the Sports Bar and the current Cinema. We have also looked into improving the traffic flow with new escalators as well as redesigning the entrance. The anchor attraction is designed to improve the shopper experience across age groups.’’

With more international brands entering the market, Kenya’s retail sector dynamic is changing. FECs significantly boost a mall’s appeal, enhance consumer retention, and boost income for other tenants and so, are expected to improve mall revenues year-on-year, as the additional footfall means that the proportion of time and money spent within are expected to rise.

According to leading reports in a Q3/Q4 2022, Kenya remains a good investment opportunity for retail business despite the uncertainties posed by the resurgence of the pandemic, the heated political environment, as well as the increased cost of living. The retail sector is expected to continue witnessing rapid development activities which in turn boost its performance driven by:

i) the aggressive expansion by retailers in the country,

ii) rapid infrastructure developments such as roads which promote investments through accessibility and boosting prices,

iii) ease of doing business in the country, and,

iv) rapid population and urbanization growth rates driving demand for goods and services.

“FECs are also imperative in real-life socialization for communities as well, especially seeing as most potential shoppers stay home having all digital entertainment experiences available right from the comfort of their room – they socialize a lot less since Covid. We still need to do things in person and so repurposing retail shopping spaces for family, community and entertainment use is certainly something developers and commercial property owners are looking into.”

says Renu Hunjan, Director at Evermark Ltd, a full-service Property Management consulting firm focused on giving their investors and landlords turnkey management solutions.

As published on Spire Studio website

About Spire Studio Architects Ltd

Spire Studio is a full-service design and consulting firm specializing in Architectural Design, Interior Design, Project Management, Design Build and Sustainable Design based in Nairobi, Kenya. www.spirestudioarchitects.com