La Lucia Mall will invest R27 million to upgrade and reconfigure 6,000m2 of this community-centered retail mall to accommodate a number of exciting new tenants and maximize its offering to shoppers.

La Lucia Mall, managed by Investec Property Group and owned by Growthpoint Properties Limited, by mutual consent terminated the lease of Game and, at the same time announced that Investec Property Group’s leasing manager for the region, Craig Davis, had successfully concluded a deal with Everfresh Markets for some 1,500m2 on a 10-year lease comprising a substantial portion of the ground floor of the former Game premises.

Everfresh Markets is a family-owned business with a chain of stores throughout the greater Durban area. It will provide a unique and vibrant retail experience at La Lucia Mall with a comprehensive food store which includes a speciality deli, food emporium, butchery, bakery and in-house restaurant in addition to a quality fresh food market.

José Luizinho of Everfresh Markets is extremely excited about this new store. “This is our first adventure into a major mall of the size and significance of La Lucia Mall. We have big expectations for the market which will become our flagship store,” says Luizinho.

Luizinho explains that Everfresh Markets identified La Lucia Mall as the ideal location as it is in the heart of a good upmarket residential area, offers easy access, good parking facilities and has the ideal tenant mix.

“La Lucia Mall’s shopper is our client – they prize quality and service above all,” notes Luizinho. Everfresh Market will also be following the latest international trends and Luizinho seeking design inspiration overseas to make sure that the store is cosmopolitan and unique with a vibrant market atmosphere.

“The market will contain a number of ‘specialist shops’ – butchery, bakery, deli and so forth -- within a larger store, each offering professional and personal service,” points out Luizinho who is personally responsible for selecting and purchasing the Everfresh Market’s fresh produce and is unrelenting in his search for quality, not only visiting suppliers but farmers as well.

“Everfresh compliments La Lucia Mall’s tenant mix and will add further value for north Durban and La Lucia residents,” says Vanessa Blevins, General Manager of La Lucia Mall.

The remainder of the space, most of it on the upper level, will be converted into offices, medical, health and beauty suites to add to the mall’s diversity as a true community centre.

“The demand for office space on La Lucia Ridge is high and there is very little stock available, especially for small corporates and professionals,”
says Davis. He elaborates that the mall has also received interest from a national retailer for a 1500m2 store on the upper level.

The refurbishment is due to commence at the beginning of April 2007.
Everfresh will commence trading in October 2007, while the upper level will be available for occupation by the end of the year.

There will be some disruption to tenants and shoppers while the reconfiguration takes place however, Blevins assures, La Lucia Mall management will do its best to keep this to a minimum.

“La Lucia Mall continually strives to meet the needs of its community and the imminent introduction of Everfresh with its quality product and personal service will bolster this,” says Blevins.