Table Bay Mall officially opened its doors with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday September 28.
The over-R1billion mall, on the corner of Berkshire Boulevard and the R27, is Zenprop Developers’ biggest project in the Western Cape and one of the biggest developments along the West Coast, with more than 65 000 m2 of retail space and over 150 shops and restaurants.
Early last month, a new MyCiTi bus stop started opened on the T03 Atlantis- Melkbosstrand- Table View-Omuramba route with a new Berkshire West stop in front of the mall.
Shoppers were already loading their car boots with grocery bags before 8am. Some stores had not opened, but others welcomed their first customers, with the fresh smell lingering in the air.
Designed to mimic luxury yachts, the mall is filled with natural light and plenty of open space, but a feature mesmerising many shoppers is the digital wallpaper, or “video walls” in the lifts.
Much of the hype centred around the opening of H&M, where more than 400 people queued for the clothing store to open. Three people in the front had been there since 1am. The first 200 through the door got shopping vouchers.
Premier Helen Zille officially opened the mall after midday, commending the architects’ design. Ms Zille, who had attended the opening of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa the week before, said mall was a work of art in itself.
“The Western Cape government welcomes the significant investment by Zenprop.
“Table Bay Mall will contribute to job creation and drive economic growth in the West Coast and surrounding regions. The West Coast is fast becoming an important economic hub,” she said.
Adam Blow, Zenprop’s executive director, said the mall met “international excellence standards” and catered for a wide variety of shoppers and income brackets.
“We have considered both the current and the projected residential growth in the area to offer the customers of the West Coast the very best and latest South African retailers have to offer in a leading edge design,” said Mr Blow.
Economic Opportunities MEC Alan Winde praised the owners and mall management for using green technologies to lessen the building’s impact on the environment.
“These technologies, some of which are aimed at saving water, showcase their commitment to operating in a sustainable manner. Water conservation is all of our business, and private sector establishments like the Table Bay Mall are embracing innovation to drive us toward a new, more responsible, normal,” said Mr Winde.
