Saturday, September 24, 2011

The Morocco Mall Casablanca - set to open soon


Spread over ten hectares, the Morocco Mall in Casablanca is the largest shopping centre in Africa and the Middle East. The Aksal Group which is 100% Moroccan owned, has invested over 2 billion dirhams in the complex which will open October 20, 2011. Designed as an extension of the main Casablanca waterfront promenade, the shell-shaped shopping center also houses the first Galeriés Lafayette store in Africa, set like a gem in the shopping centre. The exterior is adorned with a number of skylights, open gardens, trees and water areas.



The Morocco Mall, which officially opens on October 20th in Casablanca, promises big things. The complex is characterized by the novel concept of "retailtainement" .

North Africa's First Imax Cinema

Not only will the mall offer a mix of retail outlets - fashion, beauty, luxury goods, culture, technology, health,  interior design, food, crafts, services, leisure, relaxation and food - the site will have a huge entertainment component. This will include an aquarium, an adventure and amusement park, Imax, the first 3D cinema in North Africa and the third largest musical fountain in the world after North America and Asia.


The diversity of entertainment and leisure activities is extraordinary, with a food court with forty restaurants, a health: spa, an ice rink, Aquapark, and fun park.

If retail-therapy is your thing, then you will be well catered for as this mega centre will bring together brands such as Massimo Dutti, Zara, Mango, Promod, Okaïdi, La Vie en Rose, Aldo, La Senza, Stradivarius and many more. Dior and Gucci will be represented by boutiques. In total, more than 85 brands will be available, some for the first time  in Morocco. In addition  there ia a hypermarket with an area of one hectare.


 In a major coup, the Askal Group have lured the famous retail outlet Galeries Lafayette with a flagship store of 10,000 m² and more than 320 brands of ready-to-wear clothing and beauty products. This is only the third store on foreign soil after Berlin and Dubai. Galeries Lafayette are not the only major French franchise to come to Casablanca. The well-known retailer Fnac is also on board, offering a huge selection of books, records, computers, audio, video and photography.

While this may provide numerous employment opportunities, it will be interesting to observe how it will affect the surrounding retail environment. In other countries, the opening of major shopping malls - designed so that the customer spends as long as possible in the complex - has led to the closure of nearby small businesses, which cannot compete with the advertising power of the major brands. 

4 comments:

Helen Ranger said...

Well, the first IMAX theatre in North Africa, yes. There are two in South Africa, in Pretoria and Durban. There were others in Cape Town and Johannesburg, but they have closed. Seat prices are high, and there's a limited number of films produced in this format. It's an amazing experience, though.

Anonymous said...

Quand on quitte l'aéroport de Casa via le train, les premières choses qui vous souhaitent la bienvenue sont les bidonvilles! Cela aussi représente une autre vitrine à prendre en considération.
Les centres commerciaux ne sont que des temples érigés pour adorer les nouveaux dieux de la sur-consommation.
Mais une question demeure: qui a le pouvoir de consommer ? Les projets et les réalisations pharaoniques de ce type ne répondent vraiment pas aux besoins réels de la population mais aux appétits toujours grandissants du grand capital et des multinationales. Personne n'est dupe...
Quand je pense que dans une ville supposée spirituelle comme Fès, il n'existe pas une librairie digne de ce nom...
Bonne fin de semaine!

tournoi poker maroc said...

bonne semaine. j'aime cette blog merci beaucoup

Anonymous said...

I have read that the design is by Davide Padoa of Design International and I made some research. He is making some amazing stuff and not just in Morocco. Anyway, I am proud that we will have such a wonderful retail collection also in Morocco. It will be great to shop there. Well done to all involved in this super project.