MAR Shopping Algarve, part of the IKEA complex in Loulé, will open on September 27th following the IKEA store opening on March 30th.
The slightly delayed opening is ‘within the time set,’ according to IKEA’s management and certainly is bang on time compared to the normal delays, measured in years, for other of the Algarve’s building and infrastructure projects.
Today's glowing press release informs readers that Mar Shopping Algarve, as are urged to call it, ‘opens its doors to welcome visitors from all over the Algarve, the Alentejo and from southern Spain. This is the first project in the country to combine a shopping center, an ‘outlet’ and an outdoor leisure area with 8,000 m2 and with parking for 3,500 vehicles.’
The designer outlet referred to will open later on in the autumn with no date yet set for this final part of the retail jigsaw.
The director general of MAR Shopping Algarve, Herman Gewert, said the build had been challenging and spoke on message about the ‘community’ aspect of the €200 million shopping complex,' referring to the outdoor space that aims to provide a ‘day out’ feel to the enterprise.
IKEA reckon that 3,000 jobs will be created, which, if each job holder arrives by car, presumably leaves 500 spaces.
The list of shops that have taken space at the new shopping centre include, a NOS cinema, h3, Häagen-Dazs, Hanami Sushi, Hussel, Celeiro Dieta, Talho Burger, Talho do Mercado, Vitaminas & Ca., Wok to Walk, A loja do Gato Preto, Aromas, Bershka, C&A, Casio, Centroxogo, Decimas, Deichman, Farmácia, Foreva, Giovanni Galli, Inside, Jean Louis David, Joyeria Jose Luis, Knot, Lefties, Mango, Massimo Dutti, Mike Davis, Misako, Opticalia, Ornimundo, OVS, Oysho, Pandora, Parfois, Pingo Doce, Pluriscosmética, Primark, Pull & Bear, Punt Roma, Rituals Salsa, Sephora, Sfera, Springfield, Stenders, Stradivarius, Tiffosi, Time Road, Tous, Viagens Abreu, Vodafone, Woman Secret, Worten, Zara, Zara Home and Zippy.
