Page 9 - March 2023 #179

NEWS INBRIEF

ECOALF OPENS MILAN FLAGSHIP
SHOPPING CENTRES USED AS CENTRES OF Not long after opening its Madrid shop in Caleido,
the Spanish sustainable company has landed in the
RELIEF AFTER EARTHQUAKES IN TURKEY centre of Milan with a boutique located in Piazza
Gae Aulenti. The 80sq m, one-storey Ecoalf flagship
shop retails the Spanish brand’s latest collections,
After two devastating earthquakes with
magnitudes of 7.9 & 7.7 on 6 February which including its range of clothing and footwear along
effected 11 cities (the epicentre being in K. with accessories.
Maras and the surrounding cities of Hatay,
Adıyaman, Malatya, G. Antep, Kilis, Osmaniye, MARIONNAUD ADDS CONCEPT
Ş. Urfa, Adana, Diyarbakır and Elazığ) with a The perfumery brand Marionnaud has launched a
total population of 13.5 million citizens in the new store concept called the Greener Store. Entirely
Southeastern part of Turkey. The death toll redesigned, this 271sq m store combines eco-design,
from the earthquakes has topped more than personalisation and services. The new unit has been
40,000 lives and more than 100,000 injured. opened at 4 Temps de la Défense shopping centre
Over 230,000 buildings have been destroyed near Paris and continues the brand’s recycling
or damaged to an unlivable condition and program that was initiated back in 2016.
need to be demolished immediately.
Avi Alkas, Chairman of Alkas Consulting
said that during this time of turmoil, the 37 MAJOR OUTLET IS SET TO GROW
shopping centres of the region which remained centres are playing an important role in Fashion House Group will start in Q2 of this year
standing with minor damages started to indeed providing relief and support in the aftermath the construction of the second phase of Fashion
serve as centres of relief after the terrible of these terrible earthquakes. House Outlet Centre Pallady, which is located in
earthquakes. People are displaced from their After taking lessons from the calamity of the eastern part of Bucharest. The company is set
homes and in need of access to essential daily these earthquakes, we need to consider new to invest around €45M in the expansion, which is
water, food and medical supplies. Shopping angles of constructing future shopping centres the seventh of its kind developed by Liebrecht &
centres are providing a centralised location in the potential earthquake threat areas, wooD and Fashion House Group across Europe.
for humanitarian aid distribution, with their explains Alkas.
large open spaces and some stores that can It is also important to carefully consider
be used as distribution points. In addition to locations for new shopping centres. The sites MIXUE ADDS AUSTRALIA OUTLET
aid distribution, shopping centres are offering should be away from known geological hazard Chinese tea chain Mixue has launched in Australia,
means for temporary shelter too. Some areas such as fault lines, liquefaction zones, or opening its first store in Sydney’s World Square
shopping centres with their large parking areas prone to landslides. Additionally, zoning shopping centre. Two more locations are imminent
lots enable the construction of tents too, for regulations and building codes may have changed in Brisbane and Melbourne. The Sydney store
people to stay in. These shopping centres are in the aftermath of the earthquake, so it’s features floor-to-ceiling windows spanning an entire
not only providing places for shelter to many important to ensure that the proposed locations wall and red steel frames. The brand was founded
victims in the cold winter nights, but also will be compliant with current regulations. in 1997.
serving them hot food from their temporary Alkas highlights that the design of the new
portable field kitchens. shopping centres should also prioritise safety
Shopping centres also serve as gathering and resilience. Building codes and standards DEAL AGREED BY COLLINS FOODS
places for people to come together and may have changed in the aftermath of such Collins Food’s wholly-owned Dutch subsidiary
support each other during the crisis. They earthquakes, so it will be of utmost importance (Collins Foods Netherlands Operations) has
are also used as provisional communication to ensure that new shopping centres, public entered into a share purchase agreement to
and civil municipal centres where people buildings and related service areas would acquire eight KFC restaurants in the Netherlands
can exchange information and make plans meet or exceed current standards. The from R.Sambo Holding. Collins Foods MD & CEO
for recovery and rebuilding. After the urgent buildings should also be designed to withstand Drew O’Malley said the acquisition is another “step
recovery support there are efforts to start potential future earthquakes, with features forward” for their European growth strategy.
using them as temporary educational facilities such as seismic bracing, reinforced masonry
for school needs. Overall, our shopping and flexible structural elements.

MARCH 2023 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL 09