The Unicentro shopping center in Bogotá began its virtual sales plan yesterday to increase the business of its stores. Start with 50 businesses and progressively link the rest.
(Unicentro announces mega-project to expand commercial area).
At the same time, new brands are entering, developing projects that will allow it to expand its gastronomic offer, modernize its children’s games and take advantage of its parking space, since it is not only destined for the drive-in theater that is ready to open as soon as the authorities, but for other activities such as masses and plays.
(Millionaire investment in modernization of shopping centers in Colombia).
Its general manager, Camilo Ángel, explained the performance of the emblematic Bogotá shopping center.
At this point, what is the level of operation of the shopping center?
We have had the good fortune that it has never been closed thanks to the fact that there are supermarkets, drug stores and restaurants that have provided their service at home.
We have reached 35% of the traffic that we usually had and the same thing happens to businesses. Now, we have had stores that have had sales drop of up to 50% and others to 35%, depending on their offer.
Have you had local closures?
Yes, 12 have closed, but something very curious has happened. We set up with our commercial department the placement of premises for vacating and we have assigned 7 premises, which means that there are 5 closed. In total we have 312.
What else has happened?
A realignment of the marks has been presented. Some had very large premises and have moved to smaller spaces without leaving the mall.
The opportunity has also been given for new brands to enter the mall. I’m talking about two: a Spanish clothing company called Scalpers and another is a communications company WOM Telecomunicaciones that will open its first store.
So there are also opportunities for brands that had not been able to enter Unicentro with a different lease. Also, Gef and Lego arrive.
For brands entering the mall, before the pandemic it implied absurd costs but now it is an opportunity to start.
Is there a drop in the cost of rentals?
We, as an administration, have been in solidarity with our tenants and have given relief in the administration fee of up to 50% and the other thing is that the owners of the premises have negotiated grace periods of up to three months with their tenants. So that means there has been solidarity with the merchants. And they have lowered the costs of the leases.
Do you work on a project?
We are strengthening the restaurant offer. One is at the main entrance and is called the Lucha Sanguchería Criolla and the other is KO, for Peruvian food. We are taking advantage of the time to do our projects in the midst of the crisis.
And we are also in the construction of Sportbar and in the update of our children’s games to one hundred percent. This is developed in spaces of the administration, we go as partners of the operator. So here we don’t stop.
What strategies do you have to attract those who do not want to go to the mall but want to buy?
With the Colombian startup Gopass, the customer who downloads the application will be able to buy in the stores of the shopping center.
Once the products are paid, the customer can pick it up in a suitable area without getting off the vehicle. There is also the option of home delivery from the area near the shopping center. This started yesterday. There are 50 merchants on the platform and we look forward to your progressive linking.
What is the level of traffic and the customer’s profile?
It is important to say that before the pandemic we had an average daily income of 80,000 people and last year it reached 29 million.
But last week, before the quarantine began in the town of Usaquén, we were already receiving 20,000 people a day in the shopping center, which indicates a very slow reactivation but it is still a lot of people, given the circumstances. The customer’s profile changed and the one who visits us is going to buy, before he was going to ‘showcase’. People go to what they need.
How do you strengthen your biosecurity in the face of the growth of visitors?
We control income and night disinfection in the facilities. In any case, our indicator is the capacity allowed by the Mayor’s Office and it is 35%, which is controlled by the minute and in real time.
What is the capacity limit for Unicentro?
There can only be 4,500 people at a time, maximum.
What expectations do you have with the operation of the cinema?
We hope to start in September, with our partner, Cine Colombia, as soon as the authorities allow it. I can’t say anything about the theaters because that is handled by Cine Colombia.
Keep in mind that this is part of the Unicentro al Parking project. We seek, from the parking lot of the shopping center, to do plays, concerts and masses from the car, tied to the security protocols.
And the fitting out of the food court?
In the open sky we will not work. We don’t have the infrastructure to do it. We are working with the Mayor’s Office of the city so that our square is one of the pilots of closed spaces and things can be corrected.
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