Merino Mall, a 28 600 m2 shopping centre has opened in Ermelo, the first mall of its substnatial size within a 100km radius.
The centre is co-owned by Moolman Group and Abland and is located on an 11-hectare site that has always been central to community life in the area, the former Ermelo Showgrounds.
Sönke Moolman-Pautz, retail director at Moolman Group, said the mall would serve its community well.
“When you add such an impressive mall to a great community, you have the perfect recipe for sustainable mutual success. We look forward to serving our shoppers and providing a safe and enjoyable place where everyone can meet and socialise,” she said.
Merino Mall’s retail mix includes popular brands. The anchor tenants are Checkers, Pick n Pay, Woolworths and Clicks, as well as the first Crazy Plastics and Dis-Chem in the area. Other retail firsts for Ermelo include, Cape Union Mart, PNA, @home, Queenspark, Old Khaki, Crazy Pets, and Refinery.
Merino Mall’s 90-strong store line-up comprises an impressive fashion node, banking facilities, restaurants and many more compelling offerings, said Moolman-Pautz.
Designed by award-winning MDS Architecture, the exterior of Merino Mall is inspired by the original showground barn structures, with the barn shape becoming a key design feature.
Merino Mall has its own solar photovoltaic (PV) plant that produces green energy and the mall can trade during load shedding. The property has a sewer treatment plant that will recycle grey water back into the building to achieve water savings. The mall also has a fast fibre WiFi network, which shoppers can access.
Construction of Merino Mall began in July 2021, led by the main contractor Mike Buyskes Construction. Boosting the local economy, the mall’s construction phase created 750 jobs, primarily for local contractors and workers.
The vision for the mall includes making a meaningful contribution to the local economy on an ongoing basis, said Moolman-Pautz. In this regard, it has also created 450 permanent job opportunities.
During the construction period, a considerable challenge was the steep slope of the mall’s site, which required extensive bulk earthworks but resulted in the mall’s superb visibility and accessibility. Improvements were also made to its surrounding roads for all road users, making the mall especially easy to access. It offers 1,743 parking bays in an on-grade, safe and secure parking area, with reserved parking for shoppers with special needs close to entrances.
Merino Mall is located on the corners of the N2 and N11 freeways, close to the N17 and within walking distance of the bustling Ermelo CBD.
“We are delighted to open Merino Mall for the community of Ermelo. It is beautiful and convenient, with an exciting variety of retail and restaurants, a fun play area for children and a great experience for all. It complements, enhances and supports the retail offering in Ermelo, and we are confident it will be an excellent asset for its community,” said Merino Mall general manager Morgan Lee van der Walt.