The development is being undertaken by Madison Property Fund Managers on behalf of Canal Walk’s owners Hyprop Investments Limited (80%) and Ellerine Bros (Pty) Ltd (20%) and is expected to be complete by mid 2009. The new pods are fashioned to provide a satellite retail offering alongside the shopping centre. They will be placed in strategic positions along Century Boulevard which traverses Canal Walk and approximately 800 new parking bays are also being developed.

Wayne Abegglen, Canal Walk’s CEO, comments: “The decision to extend the scope of retail at Canal Walk is underpinned by a growth in both retailer and customer demand. The additional retail element will complement and enhance the centre as a whole and ensure that Canal Walk continues to offer the most comprehensive shopping experience in southern Africa.”

The retailers who will occupy the new pods - Cape Union Mart, @Home Living Space, The Golfer’s Club, Rochester Home Décor, Bride & Co and Sports Direct - are clearly excited.

“Cape Union Mart is celebrating its 75th birthday this year and the new Adventure Centre at Canal Walk will be the pinnacle of its achievements as a company thus far,” says Evan Torrance of Cape Union Mart. “The 2,000m2 store will be the biggest Cape Union Mart store ever and it will feature some of the biggest outdoor brands from around the world.”

The Rochester Home Decor store at Canal Walk will be the chain’s 14th store nationally, but it’s first in the Western Cape. “We selected Canal Walk due to its status and positioning in the area. Rochester's distinctive handcrafting and the stylish architectural design and surroundings of Canal Walk make for the perfect match,” comments Heidi Krügel, Marketing & Business Development Manager for Rochester.

“Canal Walk has an ideal geographical location, being in the middle of a vibrant growth node in Cape Town – I think it is the best mall in Africa,” states Brett Poppesqou of The Golfer’s Club. “We like the idea of the free-standing area alongside the mall that the pods provide, and we hope to create a superlative shopping environment for our customers,” he adds.

According to Adam Levin, Marketing Manager for Bride & Co, Canal Walk’s central location offers easy access to customers and the retail pod itself will give the store high visibility. “Our bridal department store concept is ideally suited to ‘large box’ retail as a destination store that offers everything a bride and groom could require under one roof,” he says.

Howard Godfrey, MD of @Home Living Space, says Canal Walk’s management has been endeavouring to accommodate @Home Living Space in the centre for the last three years, and he is delighted about the opportunity to add to the success of the other four stores in the country. “When the retail pod space became available, it was the perfect space for us,” he says.