Mall developers have, over the past year, targeted cities with a population that ranges between 50,000 to 100,000 inhabitants, in their search for cities still untapped by their competitors. Therefore, only 10 towns with over 50,000 inhabitants remain untouched by mall developers.
The list of ten towns covers all areas of the country, Moldavia (Roman, Barlad and Onesti), Transylvania (Sfantu Gheorghe, Zalau and Medias), Banat (Resita), Muntenia (Slobozia and Calarasi) and Dobrogea (Tulcea).
These cities are among the 45 with a population of over 50,000 inhabitants, the minimum level considered necessary for the development of a medium-sized shopping centre.
"If the developers decide, in the wake of market surveys and feasibility studies, that a project has a chance to work in one of these particular towns, then they will definitely not miss out on the opportunity," says Luiza Moraru, head of the retail department within real estate consultancy CB Richard Ellis Eurisko (CBRE Eurisko).
In several other cities of similar size, such as Bistrita and Targoviste, developers have already started to build malls, which rely on the fact that they will be the first players to enter these markets, and on a relatively strong purchasing power in the area.
After number of inhabitants, purchasing power is the next criterion considered in the selection of cities for future shopping centres. Other factors at play are the already existing developments and the absorption capacity of retail spaces.
On the other hand, most retailers decide to enter a new market only when they have at their disposal several retail locations, in order to form a local network as early as in their first years of operating, so as to derive significant business from that particular country.
"Retailers with a high development power, which plan to open several stores throughout the country, such as Takko, Sprider Stores, Deichmann, Intersport, Tina R and House of Art, are most likely to open stores within these prospective shopping centres, as well" says Moraru.
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