Klépierre apre la “fase 1” del nuovo centro commerciale Hoog catharijne,a Utrecht, in Olanda

klépierre, the leading pure-play shopping center company inEurope, marked an important milestone yesterday with the official opening of 16,000 sq.m. of new retail space at Hoog Catharijne, the leading mall in the Netherlands. Fifteen new stores were added to the shopping center’s offering, with many more to follow in the coming weeks and months.On its first day, the newly opened part of Hoog Catharijne welcomed more than 80,000 visitors, all eager to see the newest addition to Utrecht’s inner city.

A state-of-the art redevelopment

With 26 million visitors per year, Hoog Catharijne is already the busiest shopping center in the Netherlands. When its redevelopment is completed in 2019, it will boast 78,000 sq.m. of retail space. In addition to becoming an iconic transportation retail hub, Hoog Catharijne will rank among the top 5 most visited malls in Continental Europe, while offering the best in dining and shopping.

The modern, yet authentic architecture features generous volumes, a unique design and a canal meandering through the center. The customer path has been reinvented to offer a smooth and pleasant promenade from the Central Station to Utrecht’s historic city center. The entire project illustrates Klépierre’s customer-centric approach and latest Clubstore® standards.

An amazing display of new stores

The 15 retailers opening new stores in this first phase include: Zara, Zara Home, Bershka, Stradivarius, Yves Rocher, NAME IT, Jeans Center, Sasha, Steps, WE, Men At Work, Claudia Sträter, Bijou Brigitte, Rituals and Manfield. In the coming weeks, more brands will open, including trendy women’s fashion accessories brand Parfois, which has chosen Hoog Catharijne to open its very first Dutch store.

The retail offering will be further enhanced later this year with the addition of a Nike flagship store, international cosmetics brand MAC, and fashion brands Jack & Jones, Vero Moda, Sissy-Boy, and Timberland.

 

Destination Food

Hoog Catharijne’s City Square and Pavilion will offer the best of trendy local and global food specialties. They are the perfect example of “Destination Food,” Klépierre’s strategic approach to food and beverage services in its malls. Leon, Comptoir Libanais, and Burger Federation will be the first City Square restaurants to open this September. A few weeks later, the food offering will be expanded with the opening of the first Five Guys in the Netherlands, as well as Vapiano and Exki. Such a large food offer has no equivalent in the Netherlands.

And more to come!

In the coming year, several new phases of Hoog Catharijne’s extension will be completed, bringing with them new stores and restaurants, the opening of the Pavilion and the new entrance at Station Square.

“More than ever, Hoog Catharijne is the leading mall in the Netherlands,” stated Jean-Marc Jestin, Chairman of the Klépierre Executive Board. “When the extension is completed, Hoog Catharijne will be one of the biggest and most valuable shopping centers in Klépierre’s portfolio, and among the largest and most prestigious malls in Europe. We look forward to offering more new shops and restaurants in the coming months and are proud to take part in the urban renewal plan led together with the City of Utrecht. This fantastic redevelopment project reflects everything Klépierre’s teams strive to deliver: a magnificent setting for our retailers to present their collections and for our shoppers to savor a unique experience.”

 

Source: Company