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Portrait: MPC Properties

EXPERIENCE BEATS SPACE: HOW RETAIL PROPERTIES CAN ONCE AGAIN BECOME PLACES OF RELEVANCE AND COMMUNITY

In an age in which digital dominates and foot traffic is harder to attract, retail spaces are being reimagined not just as places to shop, but as platforms for experience, education, and emotional connection. In her latest piece, Pınar Yalçınkaya, CEO of MPC Properties, explores how AI, sustainability, and creative activations are helping transform shopping centers across Serbia into vibrant hubs of relevance. From beekeeper suits and dinosaur replicas to podcast stages and robots that greet you by name, MPC is proving that future-proof retail is less about space and more about meaning.

credit: © RRZ

ADVENTICA Launches Its First German Outlet at Rhein-Ruhr Zentrum

Following the successful contract signing last year, ADVENTICA, the international operator of indoor family entertainment destinations, is set to open its first German location at Rhein-Ruhr Zentrum (RRZ). Spanning 3,600 m², the new facility will enter a multi-week soft-launch phase ahead of its grand opening on October 17, 2025.

Portrait credit: Kirchgasser Photography Photo credit: Olaf Kitzig Design

Thomas Bühner brings new restaurant concept to Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier

Internationally renowned top chef Thomas Bühner is opening a new dining concept at Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier – right on the waterfront with a view of the river Elbe. Unlike his restaurants in Düsseldorf and Taipei, the focus in Hamburg is not on fine dining, but on a modern, cosmopolitan all-day dining and bar experience that emphasizes accessibility and joie de vivre.
With this step, Bühner is consciously opening a new chapter – straightforward, inspiring and with international spirit. The opening is planned for the first half of 2026. Further details on the concept will follow – but one thing is already clear: Hamburg can look forward to a new culinary narrative.

credit: BIG CEE

BIG Čačak by BIG CEE officially opened its Doors

Serbia’s first lifestyle retail park, BIG Čačak, is now officially welcoming customers with 45 new stores and 500 parking spaces, offering a unique experience that combines shopping, gastronomy, and leisure.

credit: SES

Strong Partnerships require a Paradigm Shift in Thinking

The world of retail real estate is revolving faster than ever before: Consumer behavior is changing rapidly, brands are disappearing overnight, and digitalization and shifting values are forcing us to rethink the way we do things. In order to survive, you need more than just square footage; you need a deep understanding of retailers, customers, and social developments. That is why Spar and SES are committed to building genuine partnerships – on an equal footing, with flexibility, innovative strength, and shared responsibility for success.

credit: Ingka Centres

The Power of Collaboration

In a world that’s becoming increasingly digital Ingka Centres believes the future lies in real-world connection. Through a bold mix of play, purpose, and partnership, Ingka Centres is transforming retail destinations into inclusive, experience-driven Meeting Places.

credit: SmartGifty

When Shopping Becomes an Experience: Smart Retail Destinations

Retail and tourism are merging, as malls transform into destinations where visitors seek experiences, not just products. From Dubai Mall to Mall of America, the world’s shopping centers are reinventing themselves with entertainment, digital services, and personalized journeys. With innovations like SmartGifty, even regional players such as BTC City Ljubljana are proving how digital gift cards, loyalty programs, and smart platforms can turn retail hubs into tourist magnets. The future of shopping is experiential, digital, and sustainable. And it’s already here.

CEO PERSPECTIVES 2025: WHEN THE TENANT THRIVERS, THE ASSET FLIES

“When the tenant thrives, the asset survives” is an old saying in retail real estate leasing management. But survival is only the baseline – the ambition must go further. Not just to “survive” – the asset should “fly.” But what will it take in 2025 for an asset to take off? For this cover story, we asked leading figures in the European retail real estate sector what they see as the most significant current challenges, as well as the solutions needed, for retail assets not just to survive but to prosper.

The Final Chapter of the European Shopping Places Trust: A Legacy of Education, Research, and Empowerment

In 2025, after more than a quarter of a century of dedicated service to Europe’s retail real estate community, the European Shopping Places Trust (ESPT) will close its books. For the professionals, students, researchers, and industry leaders touched by its work, this moment is less an ending than a milestone. This is a chance to reflect on what has been achieved and the legacy that will endure.

Will Odwarka is the Founder and CEO of Heartatwork Hospitality Consulting. /// credit: ACROSS, Will Odwarka

Will’s F&B Insights: Competitive Socializing – A New Catalyst for Malls and Mixed-Use Destinations

Retail is reinventing itself – one game at a time. As the mega-multiplex era fades and streaming dominates screens, malls and mixed-use destinations are turning to competitive socializing. Mini-golf with cocktails, high-tech darts, F1 simulators, and bowling-meets-karaoke mash-ups are the new anchors of experience. More than just entertainment, these hybrid venues are reshaping consumer journeys, driving footfall, and transforming retail spaces into cultural playgrounds as Will Odwarka explains in his latest column for ACROSS.

credit: Stratosferica

Urban Optimism in Action: The Utopian Hours Festival in Turin, October 17-19, 2025

ACROSS Magazine speaks with Giacomo Biraghi, co-founder of Stratosferica and one of the driving forces behind the Utopian Hours festival, a one-of-a-kind international gathering in Turin that reframes how cities are celebrated, studied, and shaped. In this interview, Biraghi discusses the ethos behind the event, its approach to urbanism, the evolving role of retail real estate, and how Turin is benefitting directly from this growing global platform.

credit: Rhubarb Hospitality Collection

Anchor partners for the fine dining cluster at Westfield Hamburg Überseequartier: ‘Elemente’ and ‘Air Bar 13’ to open in the first quarter of 2026

Hospitality Collection (RHC) is the key anchor tenant for the exclusive fine dining and bar offering at the waterfront of the urban quarter. Together with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW), interior fittings for the two future food & beverage and event hotspots have started. The South American restaurant ‘Elemente’, which was specially designed for the location, and the rooftop venue ‘Air Bar 13’ will bring cosmopolitan appeal directly to the river Elbe. The concepts are scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2026.

credit: HyperIn

PEOPLE POWER: THE UNTAPPED ESG VALUE IN RETAIL REAL ESTATE

ESG is everywhere in commercial real estate – on investor slides, in procurement tenders, in board-level commitments. However, while the environmental and governance pillars are well-institutionalized, the social side often remains vague, difficult to quantify, and harder to activate. That gap caught my attention, states Jean Carlos Delgado, Brand and Marketing Director, HyperIn Inc.

credit: Fiba

BEYOND THE MID-MARKET SEGMENT: HOW FIBA CP NAVIGATES THE GLOBAL RETAIL DIVIDE

Retail is no longer defined by the mid-market segment. Across the globe, a growing divide is reshaping the sector: Luxury brands are thriving on exclusivity and immersive experiences, while discount retailers are rapidly expanding through pricing power and operational scale. Mid-market players – the dependable heart of shopping centers – are being squeezed out, explains Yurdaer Kahraman, CEO and Board Member of Fiba Commercial Properties.

credit: Johann Haas

Sonae Sierra: Tobias Lagaly Appointed as New Center Manager of EUROPA-Galerie Saarbrücken

Sonae Sierra has announced the appointment of Tobias Lagaly as the new Center Manager of EUROPA-Galerie Saarbrücken, a prominent shopping destination in the heart of the Saarland capital. The native Saarbrücken resident officially assumed his new role today, bringing with him extensive industry experience in both center management and event development.

From Fashion to Leisure: Transforming Shopping Spaces for Tomorrow’s Cities

A radical transformation: As traditional retail declines and department stores shutter, cities are reimagining these spaces as vibrant hubs of leisure, culture, and community. From immersive entertainment in London to rooftop farms in Antwerp, this shift reflects more than just changing consumer habits – it’s reshaping urban life itself, explains Herman Kok, Associate Partner at DISCvision. Discover how tomorrow’s cities are turning shopping into experience, and malls into modern agoras.

credit: NEINVER

NEINVER Cuts Emissions by 5% in 2024, Reinforces Net Zero Commitment

NEINVER, a leading European investor, developer, and operator of retail outlet centers, has announced a 5% reduction in operational greenhouse gas emissions and a 3% drop in energy consumption for 2024, despite record-breaking temperatures and rising visitor numbers across its portfolio. The results, outlined in the company’s newly released 2024 Sustainability Report, underscore the effectiveness of NEINVER’s ongoing environmental strategy and its commitment to achieving Net Zero emissions.

credit: Placewise

The Future is Automated: Unlocking the Power of Marketing Automation at Shopping Centers

In today’s evolving retail landscape, marketing automation is no longer optional, it is essential. Shopping centers, once purely transactional spaces, are now transforming into dynamic destinations for experience, entertainment, and community connection. However, in a world in which consumers expect relevance, immediacy, and personalization, how can centers deliver consistent, high-quality engagement without overwhelming their marketing teams?

Credit: European Real Estate Brand Institute

HBB Wins European Real Estate Brand Award for Third Consecutive Year

Hamburg-based real estate developer HBB has once again been recognized as Germany’s top retail developer, receiving the prestigious European Real Estate Brand Award for the third year in a row. The accolade highlights HBB’s strength in innovation, sustainability, and brand resilience in a rapidly evolving market.

credit: IPH/BBE

THE “MID-RANGE SEGMENT” AS SUCH IS NOT DYING – BUT “MEDIOCRITY” IS

Consumer behavior is changing: Price awareness meets experience, and higher quality is in demand. Between premium concepts that offer high levels of experience and the successful formats found in the discount sector, there is less and less room for what has long been known as the “mid-range segment”. ACROSS spoke to Lars Jähnichen, Managing Director of the IPH Gruppe, and Dr. Johannes Berentzen, Managing Director of BBE Handelsberatung, about the causes, effects, and opportunities associated with this development – with a focus on consumer behavior, space requirements, and the impact on locations and the real estate industry.