New shopping mall opens in Sofia on March 28
Paradise Center became the latest shopping mall to open in Bulgaria’s capital city, Sofia, on March 28 2013. The new mall hopes to distinguish itself from established rivals by emphasising its status as the first “lifestyle center” in the city – combining the retail functions of a shopping mall with leisure amenities.
The shopping centre boasts more than 200 000 sq m built-up area, including 82 000 sq m for retail outlets – the mall features more than 150 stores, with 80 per cent of the retail areas already rented out, news website Mediapool.bg reported.
Among the big-name brands opening stores in the new mall are Zara (with its biggest store on the Balkans), Marks&Spencer, H&M, Gap, New Yorker, Deichmann, Kenvelo, DM and Technopolis. The shopping centre also features a 8000 sq m Carrefour hypermarket.
Paradise Center is estimated to have cost 150 million euro, including a 59 million euro loan from UniCredit Bulbank (which has a branch in the new mall, as does First Investment Bank), Mediapool.bg said. According to the report, the investor in the mall – Bulfeld – has the same shareholders as the company that owns the Iliantsi market in Sofia.
The leisure area of Paradise Center includes a Cinema City multiplex, a bouldering wall, a fitness centre with an Olympic-size pool and spa, billiards, bowling and arcade games. One of the mall’s features is Sofia Event Center, which can host events with up to 2000 guests and offers a view of Sofia from its panoramic terrace.
Paradise Center is located at 100 Cherni Vruh Blvd in the Lozenets borough, near Sofia’s South Park.
(Paradise Center photo: provided)
