MORE than a year has passed since the July riots of 2021, which took KwaZulu-Natal by storm. Among the worst hit areas was Springfield in Durban, where mass looting tore through the area unabated for days on end. The Springfield Value Centre was one of the businesses that was forced to shut their doors. The extent of the damage to the centre was so severe that the structure was demolished before the rebuilding process began.
As the rebuild nears its final stages, Donald Mclellan, SA Corporate Real Estate (Limited) national marketing manager has announced that the bulk of the centre’s stores will open on September 29.
“The damage at the centre was extensive, and the project team has been working tirelessly to have the centre re-opened as soon as possible. We are excited to announce that seventy percent of the centre will be re-opening on September 29, and the balance of the centre will be re-opened by the end of the year. Unfortunately, due to various circumstances locally and around the world, Nike Unite will only be re-opening in June 2023,” said Mclellan.
Southern region asset manager of SA Corporate, Mark Mac Kaiser, added that the centre had a substantial waiting list of interested stores, some of which are now being accommodated.
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“This was achieved by enhancing the tenant mix and introducing more efficient store sizes and locations, so that shoppers are now able to enjoy comparative shopping with similar stores located in closer proximity to each other,” he explained.
Sharmaine Ramsahai, centre manager for the Springfield Value Centre, listed several stores that will be returning to the centre.
“While Pick ‘n Pay has been trading during the construction, we confirm that the following much-loved brands will all be returning: Cotton On, Factorie, G-Star Raw Outlet, Nike Unite, Kingsmead Shoes, Footgear, Mr Price Apparel, Crocs, Bogart Man, Jam Clothing, Global Brands, Wimpy, Adidas, Furniture Vibe, Levi’s, International Brands Outlet, Levisons, Superga, UFO Furniture, Sedgars Furniture, Le Coq Sportif, Under Armour and New Balance,” said Ramsahai.
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There are also a few ‘new faces’ among the centre’s store offering.
“These retailers are aligned with our unique selling point of bringing you the best value for money: Dis-Chem, Studio 88 Outlet, The Value Store, Typo, Kappa, Puma, Overland Apparel and a 24-hour McDonald’s Drive Thru. Living true to the Springfield Value Centre brand, Pick ’n Pay have adapted their offering and have changed their store to a Pick ’n Pay Qualisave store,” said Ramsahai.
The centre management also have competitions running as the centre re-opens. For more information, search ‘Rise of Springfield Value Centre’ on social media.
