Property

Popular shopping mall gets a R75 million makeover

Kirsten Minnaar • 11 September 2026

Growthpoint Properties is spending R75 million to redevelop Walmer Park Shopping Centre in Gqeberha, with the project now in its final phase.

The redevelopment began in March 2026 and is scheduled for completion in November, ahead of the festive trading period.

Growthpoint has already completed the first phase, which introduced new brands, reconfigured existing stores and created additional retail space in the centre.

The project is the eighth upgrade in Walmer Park’s 38-year history and aims to strengthen the shopping centre’s position in the Gqeberha market.

Growthpoint’s Head of Retail Asset Management, Gavin Jones, said the centre’s trading performance supports the investment.

“Walmer Park has consistently demonstrated the trading resilience and tenant demand that justify ongoing reinvestment,” he said.

“The additions to the centre’s retail mix made possible by this redevelopment will help ensure that it remains the dominant retail address in the city for years to come.”

Construction began with the relocation and rightsizing of the fashion anchor tenant, Edgars. The new store now occupies 2,000 m² and opened at the beginning of July 2026.

The changes also created a new mall area within Walmer Park, which allows fresh retailers to enter a centre that was previously full.

Growthpoint said demand for the new space has been strong, with the entire redevelopment already let and finalised apart from 100m².

Burnt Studios and Old School opened at Walmer Park in July 2026. Both brands are exclusive to the centre in Gqeberha.

They will operate alongside 40 other exclusive retailers already located at the shopping centre.

Bootlegger Coffee Company, FARO, and a revamped Slops and Clogs have also opened, while Cadi Barbor moved to a new location at Entrance 4. Cellini, another addition to the first phase, opened on 1 September 2026.

Jones explained that the first phase of the redevelopment had been delivered while the shopping centre continued trading.

“The precision with which phase one has been delivered by Growthpoint’s development team, together with the contribution of the mall’s new and reimagined retail tenants, has been outstanding,” he said.

Growthpoint’s Head of Retail Development, Mark Langley, said the company is now focused on completing the second phase to the same standard.

Final phase underway

The second phase began in mid-July 2026 and is focused on creating a new internal connection between the expanding Cape Union Mart and the new Edgars store.

This project will complete the mall’s new internal retail area and allow several more retailers to begin trading.

Among the new stores will be Yuppiechef and ARC, which will both make their Eastern Cape debut at Walmer Park.

Yuppiechef will bring its homeware and kitchen products to the centre, while ARC will offer beauty and self-care brands.

iStore will also open a larger, redesigned store at a new location. Cape Union Mart will receive a new layout, while Totalsports will expand into a larger store.

These stores are scheduled to open in November 2026. Mr DIY is set to open in October, bringing a new retail category to the centre.

The Malaysian-founded home improvement retailer’s store at Entrance 3 has been created by combining four smaller stores into one larger space.

The redevelopment also includes several upgrades to the shopping centre’s infrastructure. These include energy-efficient lighting and a rooftop solar installation.

Walmer Park will also continue supplying filtered borehole water to both customers and tenants.

Walmer Park Shopping Centre manager Leonie Scheepers said shoppers have responded positively to the changes.

“Shoppers are responding enthusiastically to the fresh variety that the new mall area already provides,” Scheepers said.

“We are proud to be bringing brands and experiences to Gqeberha that shoppers cannot find anywhere else in the city, and there is a great deal more still to come before the festive season.”

Growthpoint bests on retail

Concept of new H&M store opening on 31 October 2026 at Paarl Mall. Source: Growthpoint

The Walmer Park redevelopment forms part of Growthpoint’s wider strategy to invest in shopping centres with strong trading performance and further growth potential.

The company has also completed a R270 million upgrade and expansion of Paarl Mall and installed an additional 5 MW of solar capacity across four shopping centres.

Other projects include redevelopment work at Greenacres Shopping Centre in Gqeberha and Vaal Mall in Gauteng.

Growthpoint has also upgraded Longbeach Mall in Cape Town, including the addition of a Builders Express, an upgraded Pick n Pay, and an expanded Food Lover’s Market.

The company also added a new Checkers Fresh X – an upscale supermarket offering premium groceries, gourmet foods, and enhanced in-store services – at La Lucia Mall in KwaZulu-Natal.

Growthpoint said these projects reflect its focus on allocating capital to dominant retail centres with strong trading metrics and potential for further reinvestment.