Loving Outlet Shopping - Value Retail News

Fashion Arena
plans expansion
DOUBLiNG iTS TENANCY in just
18 months, Fashion Arena Outlet
Center, the first outlet center in
Prague, is now planning an expansion.
The second phase, scheduled
for completion in 2010, will add
another 36 retail units to the center.
More than 2 million customers have
shopped at the 269,100-sf center
since its opening in November 2007.
Opening with 36 stores, the center
now has 74 shops, including wellknown
Czech brands and international
brands such as Calzedonoia/
Intimisimi, Nike, Pepe Jeans London,
Samsonite and Ecco.
The €6.3 million phase 2 will add
7,200-m 2 to the project’s GLA.
Carlyle, Crimson
form JV for
Portugal expansion
ThE CARLYLE GROUP recently
announced a joint venture partnership
with Crimson Investment
Management in Portugal. The partnership
will advise, execute investments
and carry out asset management
services in Portugal on behalf
of Carlyle.
Carlyle will focus primarily on
assets located in the Lisbon area
across all commercial property
sectors, with a particular focus on
office, retail and hotels.
Crimson Investment Management
will work on an exclusive basis for
Carlyle’s third European real estate
fund, CEREP III, which raised €2.2
billion of equity in June 2008. Carlyle
owns one asset in Portugal, the
807,300-sf Freeport Outlet Alcochete.
Carlyle acquired the mammoth center
when it purchased Freeport PLC
in 2007 through its second European
real estate fund, CEREP II.
NEWS NOTES
Offering discounts up to 90 percent, the night shopping event better known
as Pricemania drew huge crowds this summer to the 185,900-sf Fashion
House Outlet Center Warsaw.
Crimson Investment Management
was founded in November 2008 by
Carlos Moedas, who previously was
the Portuguese head of Aguirre
Newman.
high speed rails
draw brands to
Ashford D.O.
MCARThURGLEN REPORTS that
three new brands, Musto, Skechers
and Phase Eight, have relocated to
its Ashford Designer Outlet center
in anticipation of a new, high-speed
rail service that will stop at the center.
The high-speed line promises to
cut travel time to and from London
by up to 47 minutes. The rail service
is scheduled to be in operation by
December.
“The new fast train link will not
only make it easier for people to
travel to Ashford from London,
but it will also enable Ashford to
grow as an important location in
itself, whether for work or residence,
given its greater proximity to
London in terms of travelling time,”
said David Maddison, manager of
Ashford Designer Outlet.
Ashford is a key stop on the
Eurostar rail routes and the center
has benefited from the weak pound.
“We have been seeing a growing
number of visitors from mainland
Europe, especially Dutch, French
and Belgian shoppers as well as
German. Our discounts provide
a better deal than ever for shoppers
from euro zone countries,”
Maddison said.
The 181,735-sf Ashford Designer
Outlet, which opened in 2000, has
more than 80 stores. Its catchment
area includes some of the region’s
key towns and tourist locations,
including Maidstone, Tunbridge
Wells and Canterbury. c
Fall 2009 InternatIOnal Outlet JOurnal 23