Companies

Japanese, French lifestyle retailers to open stores at The Hub

hub

The Hub mall in Karen, Nairobi. file photo | nmg

A Japanese and French lifestyle retailers are set to open stores at The Hub Karen in the third quarter of the year.

The Japanese lifestyle retail brand — Miniso, will open its store at The Hub Karen in August. The French sports retailer — Decathlon, will follow suit in September.

Azalea Holdings, the developers of The Hub Karen, chief executive Philippe Cauviere on Monday said the high-profile international retailers would enhance the variety of lifestyle stores at the shopping and recreation complex.

“We are truly excited that Miniso has chosen The Hub Karen as one of their African flagship locations. The scheduled opening of a Miniso lifestyle store in August will undoubtedly enhance The Hub Karen’s appeal as sub-Sahara’s premier shopping and recreation complex and offer shoppers a wide range of unique and affordable lifestyle products,” said Mr Cauviere.

In Africa, Miniso’s footprint covers Uganda, Tanzania, Madagascar, South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Morocco, with more than 2,600 stores across the world.

READ: Karen is most affordable high end suburb

Miniso Lifestyle Kenya business development manager Dean Zhu said they plan to develop more than 100 stores in Kenya directly on a franchise model.

Decathlon’s entry into the local market will enhance foreign direct investment flows in the local formal retail market by French firms.

The Hub Karen is part of the Janus Continental Group, an international conglomerate, comprising firms dealing with energy, hospitality and real estate sectors.

The complex has more the 35,000 square metres and features more than 1,300 eatery seats and 85 stores hosting local and international retailers.

Some of the brands in the mall include Carrefour, Furniture Palace, Funscapes, LC Waikiki, Woolworth, F&F Fashion, Bossini, Adidas, Reebok, Burger King, Dominos, KFC, Artcaffe, Spurs, Ocean Basket and Zucchini.