The former V&D and Topshelf building on the Grote Markt in Groningen will become a pop-up mall: a shopping complex for stores and restaurants to open for short periods.
Dagblad van het Noorden reports that Groningen real estate developer Ralph Steenbergen is behind the plan and has the next six months to use the space.
The pop-up mall would be a mix of established and up-and-coming retailers from Groningen. The temporary nature of the location will likely make it financially feasible for smaller retailers to set up shop in a prominent location in the city.
The six-month trial may be extended if it proves successful. Steenbergen is eager to get going and would like to see the first pop-ups in place within weeks. “On King’s Day (27 April), I want us to be able to show off a nice shopping centre” he says.
According to Sikkom, stores and eateries can operate in the space for a couple of months or the full six-month period. The name for the pop-up mall has yet to be announced.
