Cape Town - The newly refurbished Alfred Mall at the V&A Waterfront has reopened its doors in time for the festive season.
Built in 1904 as the North Quay Warehouse, the Alfred Mall has functioned as a coal shed, the old port rope store, an overflow warehouse for the Union Castle Shipping Company Building, and a customs baggage store before the Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre was built.
Now, the space is gearing towards a contemporary African aesthetic.
V&A Waterfront chief executive officer David Green said the concept behind the renovation was to redefine the future of retail and the customer experience, to explore how other countries were innovating retail spaces and to add an African flair that captivated a new generation.
“Our neighbourhood is vibrant with an undeniable electrifying spirit. It’s a source of endless potential alongside our retailers and community.”
Complementing the boutique mall is a food and beverage offering on the quayside, with a new external concession area looking out over the water to the city and Table Mountain.
With the opening of the building’s arches and raising the pedestrian canopies, visitors are presented glimpses from pedestrian level to the water’s edge on the quayside.
Green said they chose to unveil the renovated Alfred Mall now, following the influx of tourists choosing to holiday in Cape Town over the national holidays and school holiday closures.
“The V&A welcomed just over 20 million visitors in the last 12 months which highlights the steady recovery that is being experienced across the country. This is up 36.1% on 2021, but down 23.8% pre-Covid-19 in 2019 over the same period,” said Green.
Cape Times