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Shopping malls – in the form of bazaars or antique market halls – have been around for almost 2,000 years. It took until 1956, however, for the first “modern” integrated shopping mall (under one roof) to be opened – the Southdale Center in Minneapolis (USA).

If it is true that a shopping center has to be a distinctive brand, then it needs the right Christmas decoration. “Never from the catalog, never off the shelf” is First Christmas’s motto. The decoration specialist therefore produces no catalogs, instead featuring a large design department with interior designers, lighting designers, and set builders.

The retail destination MILLENNIUM City is expanding its brand offering with the addition of TK Maxx. The new store, opened on November 6, brings another international retailer to the urban mixed-use center and reinforces its position as a versatile hub for shopping and leisure in Vienna.

A new chapter begins for Gropius Passagen in Berlin-Neukölln. With the appointment of Christian Danne as Center Manager, one of the city’s top retail destinations is setting a fresh strategic course. Covering around 94,000 square meters of retail space, featuring over 150 stores, and welcoming roughly ten million visitors a year, Gropius Passagen remains a key anchor of Berlin’s retail landscape.

A special honor for Alexander Otto, CEO of the ECE Group: at this year’s MAPIC trade fair, Otto received the MAPIC Lifetime Award as a “Pioneer of Places” in recognition of his exceptional achievements and outstanding contribution to shaping and advancing the shopping center industry over the past three decades.

As Europe’s retailers and landlords head into the most decisive quarter of the year, success hinges not only on footfall, but on clarity. With up to 40% of annual revenue at stake, real-time sales collection and automated reporting have become critical tools to track performance, manage risk, and capture opportunities. From tenant health to turnover rent, automation is transforming holiday trading from a logistical scramble into a data-driven advantage.

NEPI Rockcastle is on the path to growth: Its portfolio value is over €8 billion, net operating income has risen by 12%, and occupancy rates are close to 100%. In this interview, Marek Noetzel explains how the company has achieved such results despite geopolitical uncertainties, why retail parks are thriving while mega deals are stalling, and how photovoltaic and mixed-use projects are shaping the future of retail in CEE.

In Central and Eastern Europe, BIG has pursued a dual-track strategy: building a strong footprint in the Balkans via BIG CEE, and entering Poland only three years ago. Within this short period, the Polish arm has grown to a portfolio of 10 operating retail parks, with three more in development, making it one of the fastest-growing players in the country. To understand how BIG managed such rapid expansion in one of Europe’s most competitive retail markets, we spoke with Eran Levy, Chief Operating Executive of BIG Poland.

The largest single-asset retail transaction of the year in Poland has been finalized, as Echo Investment sells Libero shopping center to Summus Capital, an Estonian-based investment company. The value of the deal amounts to €103 million.

BIG CEE has rapidly grown into a leading force in Southeast Europe’s retail real estate market. CEO Lev Weiss discusses the company’s journey, from its first projects in Serbia to major milestones across the Balkans, and shares his vision for future expansion and brand building in the region.

VIA Outlets has successfully placed €500 million of senior unsecured fixed-rate green bonds due 2032. The issuance attracted strong demand from institutional investors resulting in a €1.8+ billion orderbook and an oversubscription of 3.6x. The bonds carry a seven-year maturity and a fixed annual coupon of 3.5%.

A surprise move in the retail sector: Austria’s Leder & Schuh AG, best known for its flagship brand Humanic, has been sold to the Slovenian investment firm Advance Capital Partners. Despite the change in ownership, the company’s headquarters for its 210 stores and 1,700 employees will remain in Graz, Austria.