“The shopping centre is experiencing growth in almost all areas including turnover, the number of cars accessing the centre and its total spend-per-shopper. These are all good indicators that Hemingways Mall is growing its customer support base,” reports Hemingways Mall General Manager Rachel Klassen.

The centre which opened right at the worst point of the financial crises’ effects on the South African market, yet Hemingways Mall has tenaciously continued to grow and, as a result, has made a powerful appearance on the radar of retailers and attracted the interest of new and expanding concepts.

“Despite the trying economic conditions, Hemingway Mall has steadily grown its turnover and gained popularity with both consumers and retailers,” notes Klaasen. 

Local businessmen concur with the big retail nationals that trading at Hemingways Mall provides unique, positive opportunities: since opening just over six-months ago trade has grown steadily, shoppers are becoming increasingly loyal and shopping patterns are beginning to settle in.

Having originally opened in a local mall in 1991, Audio Visual Gallery (AVG) chose to trade from stand-alone premises from 1993. Current owner Brendan Bosse explains that the development of Hemingways Mall provided the opportunity to re-shape his business. He chose to relocate to Hemingways Mall and there has been no looking back. For Bosse it was a big decision. “As a specialist store that serves a niche market our big concern was whether our highest LSM customers – the ones who stand apart from the crowd - would follow the business to the new store. They have. In fact, we see them even more now,” says Bosse.

Hemingways Mall is East London’s new super-regional shopping centre with an exciting selection of some 200 shops, restaurants and entertainment options offering unsurpassed variety and choice under a single roof with ample, secure parking and easy access from the N2 highway.

He puts the drawing power of the super-regional Hemingways Mall down to its exceptional mix of retailers, from massive nationals to small specialists. “The decision to take the AVG shopfront to our shoppers has paid off. Our trading results are up, we have much more contact with our customers and we are generating more leads for our corporate services than ever before,” notes Bosse.  Thinking out of the box has paid off for Bosse at his Hemingways Mall store. He has designed it as a show-stopper showroom with all the big-screen, high-definition wow-power of a major exhibition.  “It has been a good move for AVG, I am very happy.”

Among its many eateries, Hemingway Mall’s vibrant Cape Town Fish Market started strong when it opened in December and it has steadily maintained positive turnover and trade ever since, reports proprietor Alun Bendle. “This is good news for us, and we are confident that our trade will continue to grow,” says Bendle.

“Hemingways Mall is a one-stop shopping and lifestyle destination – something that East London has been lacking for a very long time,” adds Bendle, who explains that, together with the neighbouring casino, Hemingways Mall creates a node of unparalleled entertainment and shopping together with selection of fabulous restaurants. “It is this complete experience which makes the mall popular as a hassle-free full-day destination.”

With 58 staff members, the restaurant seats 220 guests and attention to detail ensure a cosy and superb dinging experience. Bendle points to a number of positive trade markers for the restaurant. Already more than 1,000 diners have signed up as members of Cape Town Fish Market’s loyally card programme. Also the solid repeat support of corporate clients, including the neighbouring Hemingways Casino and local law firms, indicates an established and loyal clientele.

Offering premium fashion brands such as Guess, Levi and Nike, Daks Evolution has also achieved positive sales since opening in September.

“We’re attracting many new customers, particularly holidaymakers and visitors to East London, where typically these people are more familiar with bigger malls and expect a comprehensive retail offering,” says owner Taahir Randeree. “Interestingly, we have also seen a marked increase in the number of locals visiting our store over the past month”.

Tanderee explains that whereas 80% of trade was taking place over the weekend, and 20% in the week, this has now shifted with 60% percent weekend trade and 40% weekday trade.

The fashion retailer has also identified another interesting consumer trend. “Our shoppers are spending more on a single quality item, as opposed to many cheaper items. It quality, rather than quantity which is attracting them, with purchases being selected for the longer term,” says Tanderee.

Woolworths reports, based on the profile of the mall and its shoppers, it has selected its Hemingways Mall store as the only one in East London to offer Premium brands which include Trenery, Country Roads, Twist and Suga Suga. It has also introduced its Branded Beauty private label range and other top beauty brands to East London from its Hemingways Mall store as well as a Woolworths Coffee Shop and a food market of 3,770 lines including an interactive counter serving rotisserie chicken and pies.

Woolworths Hemingways Mall is one of only 20 Woolworths stores that offers a FIFA 2010 World Cup Shop.

Mugg & Bean in the Hemingways Mall is fast gaining a popular following. Says owner, Russel Kruger: “April was our best month, with turnover 8% higher than March. Considering that March sales were 20% higher than February, early indications are that we are steadily enlarging our customer base. With just over 12,000 people served in April alone, we’re very optimistic.”

Kruger is upbeat about Hemingways Mall’s excellent location and accessibility and believes that its superb one-stop shopping convenience with ample, safe parking will be instrumental in its continued growth and rising popularity. 

Hemingways Mall’s new Mugg & Bean has helped create 30 jobs. Kruger sees its development cost of R4 million as an essential investment in ensuring a restaurant in which customers can relax and return to, time and time again. Says Kruger: “With Mugg & Bean, we look after our customers, our staff and our suppliers – with quality and value underpinning our approach.”

Kruger says that holidays and weekends are proving to be the busiest trade days, but he anticipates this will adjust in time. Top favourites among visitors to Mugg & Bean include the bottomless filter coffee, with just over 4,000 bottomless purchases served in April. 

Pick n Pay’s Director of Group Property Izak Joubert confirms that they are “happy with the Hemingways Mall store’s turnover”, and that it is “trading to expectation”. “We are certainly happy with our decision to open at Hemingways Mall.”

Simple Secrets at Hemingways Mall, the only Eastern Cape retailer to offer exclusive Canadian ‘Leg Avenue’ lingerie range, is steadily growing its loyal group of customers.

Says owner, Kevin Govender: “Business has improved every consecutive month, with Mondays, Fridays and Sundays being our busiest times. Our shoppers are primarily those who want quality lingerie and swimwear that is not widely available – these shoppers prefer exclusivity, at a good price, and are drawn by our regular sale promotions.”

Govender says that his decision to invest in setting up an outlet at Hemingways Mall was based on the excellent location and the fact that shoppers have the convenience of every need catered for under a single roof.   

It is little wonder that these fashion stores are reporting positive growth, reports Klaasen, with fashion spend accounting for some R35 of every R100 spent at the centre. “Hemingways Mall’s extensive local and international fashion brands are proving to be extremely attractive to local fashionistas and the trend-conscious,” says Klaasen.

Its anchor stores - Pick n Pay, Woolworths and Edgars - are also counted amongst the centre’s most popular draw cards, while its comprehensive health and beauty, homeware and specialist stores together with its restaurants, coffee shops and eateries are also amongst the most well supported retailers at Hemingways Mall.

As an example of a speciality trader, Hemingways Carwash service is showing good growth, with the number of cars washed daily having doubled from its first month of trade. Says Elmari Gentle: “Customers enjoy the convenience of having a one-stop shopping experience, including an on-site carwash service, with turnaround times from under one hour.”

In addition to her location at Hemingways Mall, Gentle believes that her value-adds, such as a SMS to alert customers that their car is ready as well as a no-queues policy, are helping to build her business. “It’s all about giving customers everything they want in a single, beautiful location.”