The KNYSNA MALL is a lifestyle for the community
The Knysna Mall is flourishing with more locals shopping and enjoying this retail and entertainment space than ever before - it has become part of the very fabric of this town and community.
For the past year it has been running at 100% capacity, with a waiting list of prospective business tenants.
There are more than 50 tenants, offering a wide range of retail opportunities for people across the spectrum of ages and budgets.
There is the one and only Woolies for those who cannot live without their rotisserie chicken and other groceries and clothes from this trusted store. There are some higher-end bespoke stores such as Wild Iris Designer Clothing & Shoes and Surf Culture, as well as a stationery shop and a bookstore for readers.
There are more than 50 tenants, offering a wide range of retail opportunities for people.
Among the anchor tenants are Game, Mr Price Home and Mr Price Sport, Ackermans and @ Home, Jet, Dischem . . . the Knysna Mall represents most stores that one would look for in any town, even a spaza-type shop that sells something of everything, just off the parking area.
During the Covid hard lockdown, the mall's management wrote off some R19,7m in rentals so that stores would be afforded every opportunity to survive. Today, many of these same tenants are thriving.
Big employer
It's one of the biggest local employers in Knysna with at least 1 000 people who work
there - something the Knysna Mall is very proud of, as its ethos is about supporting local and enriching the community of Knysna.
Some 50 employees are dedicated to looking after the mall in various capacities, from security to cleaning. Three staff members are dedicated to keep the pavements around the mall well maintained, pretty and clean - people who also take pride in the centre's plants that come from a roof garden nursery.
The mall was developed in 2006 and its first phase opened that year. The adjacent, much larger property, was later acquired by a consortium in 2007. The financial crisis of 2008 delayed development of this phase, but by 2010 things were back on track.
Strong growth
Starting small, the mall has expanded over time to its current healthy footprint and now attracts more shoppers than ever before.
One of the directors of mall owners Grey Elephant Investments, Neil Lurie, attributes this to the influx of people who have come to live in Knysna and the Garden Route after finding during Covid that they could have quality of life while working from home. "There is no doubt there are more people in the town; that semigration has played a big part in it," says Lurie.
Mall management has also created a space that is conducive to entertainment and not just shopping. "We wanted a place where people could shop, but then also meet friends or take time out at one of the restaurants," says Lurie. The mall now boasts seven options for a coffee, snack or lunch. There is a new Mug and Bean, a vida e caffè, Jack's Bagels, Pizza Perfect, the Asian fusion Boa Wow spot and A New Day for freshly squeezed juice and other healthy treats.
One-stop village
From the start, management was very clear in its vision: it was to be a regional mall offering a wide range of stores, that at the same time creates a 'village feeling' for locals.
This had been achieved by the piazza and parking area, which is effectively an outdoor feeling and shopping experience.
To sum it up, the Knysna Mall is a way of shopping, a way of meeting friends, a way of life for the community.