More family fun, more good food, more shopping and convenience than ever before – that’s what the multi-million rand 8 000 m² expansion of Midwater Centre in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, has brought to the local community.
The big expansion was launched to the public on 28 March 2019, drawing the crowds and creating lots of excitement in the community. Midwater Centre’s expansion takes the popular neighbourhood shopping centre to 19 000 m² in size, increasing its retail offering significantly while also adding great new family-friendly and convenience facilities.
“At the heart of the expansion is a new open-air area with trees, a fountain and a kiddies play zone surrounded by restaurants, take-away outlets and a cobbled-stoned street. It all comes together to provide the local community with a fun family-focused hub at Midwater Centre,” says Gavin Tagg, CEO of leading retail property leasing and development specialists, Retail Network Services (RNS).
The Middelburg-based property development and investment group that owns Midwater Centre, Patricio and Sons, brought in RNS to advise on the expansion and leasing of the centre. The extension has seen the centre’s retail mix and service offering increase to more than 50 stores and outlets.
“This timely expansion brings more family fun, shopping variety and convenience than ever before to Midwater Centre, with the introduction of a range of new stores, restaurants and services. Anchoring the expansion is a new 2 200 m² Pick n Pay; a top-notch 2 000 m² Planet Fitness Blue Gym; popular family restaurants like Spur, Piatto and Ocean Basket; and, new brands to the area like West Pack Lifestyle and the Daily Coffee Café,” notes Tagg.
The centre is located on a prime site at the intersection of Keiskamma Drive and Oranje Street in the burgeoning affluent suburb of Aerorand. The suburb has seen extensive new residential development over the years and is located to the south of the Middelburg CBD. Two access and egress points allow easy access to the centre and both roads passing the site are prominent local transport routes carrying high levels of traffic.
“Midwater Centre is well established within the community, with strong anchor tenants, so the expansion has been well received by the local community and retailers alike. We believe the centre’s new outdoor family area and increased convenience factor with more stores and services will see even more shoppers and visitors to the centre, increasing its dominance in the local community,” says Tagg.
Major national brands at the centre include Superspar, Ackermans, Clicks, Builders Express, The Crazy Store, Wimpy, Domino’s Pizza, MTN and Cell C, amongst others. Besides Pick n Pay, Planet Fitness Blue and West Pack Lifestyle, other new brands and stores to the centre include PNA, Capitec, Hobo’s and Pick n Pay Clothing.
On the fast food front, Steers, Debonairs and Fishaways are new to Midwater Centre as part of the expansion and are located in the new family-focused area overlooking the cobbled-stoned street. The centre’s convenience factor has also been enhanced with new beauty, and health and fitness outlets as well as a vet and pet-care store.
Tagg says: “The expansion brings a revitalised mix that will complement existing tenants, while significantly adding to the range of retail, health and beauty, services and eatery options at Midwater Centre. The Planet Fitness Blue Gym is going to be a big new attraction and is located on a new upper floor at the centre. It will be complemented with a new Nutrition Rage store and Waterlicious outlet in the expanded section of the mall.”
RNS and Patricio and Sons conducted a detailed site survey as well as a feasibility study to establish the demographics of Midwater’s expanding market and the needs of this market. The research guided the design, layout and tenanting of the extended centre. Midwater Centre’s catchment area covers 40,000 households, including the suburbs of Aerorand, Gholfsig and Clubville.
Tagg and his team at RNS bring many years of experience to the development of new centres as well as the innovative extension of existing ones. The company’s trusted track record is linked to the success and long-term viability of a many shopping centres across South Africa.
