AMP Capital Shopping Centres has today confirmed Forever 21 as the fifth international high street store to take residency at Macquarie Centre with its doors set to open this December. The Amercian fashion chain will join H&M, UNIQLO, Zara and Gap, which open on 16 October, making Macquarie Centre home to the most large format international high street fashion brands of any Australian shopping centre.
Macquarie Centre’s $440 million transformation will be unveiled on 16 October 2014 with the enviable mix of international stores joining domestic powerhouses Myer and David Jones, its first new premises in Sydney for seven years. These brands will form part of a glamorous two-floor fashion galleria that will feature a total of 100 specialty fashion and beauty stores.
Bryan Hynes, Managing Director AMP Capital Shopping Centres, said: “In addition to H&M and UNIQLO, Forever 21 has selected Macquarie Centre to be its first Sydney location. This is a clear demonstration that the international brands share our belief in the strength of this market and in what we are delivering.”
The list of stores opening at Macquarie Centre will also include luxury Australian designers Scanlan Theodore, Zimmermann, Alice McCall, Gorman, Willow and Sass & Bide, adding weight to an already impressive line-up of retailers.
In addition to being Sydney’s premium fashion destination, Mr Hynes said that Macquarie Centre will also become the largest suburban shopping centre in New South Wales, with 138,500 square metres of floor space.
Shoppers are being encouraged to download MyMacquarie, a personalised app for shopping, fashion news, trends and events. It is the first Australian app to feature catwalk-to-mobile technology, which allows users to compile a ‘look book’ of favourite outfits from the runway live event on opening day and then helps them to navigate their way around the centre to browse and purchase items.
The new-look Macquarie Centre will also feature a dining and cafe precinct, approximately 5,000 parking spaces, and a range of premium shopping services including valet parking and free WIFI. Stage one of the centre’s redevelopment opened in July and includes a Fresh Food Market precinct featuring new Coles and ALDI supermarkets alongside a refurbished Woolworths. It also includes a range of market-style eateries such as Costi’s Seafood Market Macquarie, Inlakesh Living Foods and F & L Gourmet.
Macquarie Centre is managed by AMP Capital and owned by the AMP Capital Shopping Centre Fund (ASCF), the Australian Core Property Portfolio (ACPP) and the AMP Capital Retail Trust.
Source: AMP Capital media release.