The internationally-themed New Horizon Mall will open a large Chinese department store by the end of this year.
Eli Swirsky, president of The Torgan Group, which developed New Horizon Mall in conjunction with its partner, MPI Property Group, confirmed The Best Shop will be an anchor for the shopping centre located just outside of Calgary’s city limits in the Balzac area of Rocky View County.
“It’s like a Chinese Walmart,” said Swirsky. “Not quite as big but it’s going to draw people. It brings a lot of affordable and very unique products from China.”
The store will be about 23,000 square feet.
He said the shopping centre is also negotiating with two other major anchors for space.
Swirsky said the mall is looking at including an entertainment facility similar to a Rec Room.
Last week, New Horizon announced that the $200-million mall will open an additional 28 stores in the next four weeks, bringing the total to 39 outlets open by the end of October.
The mall is a unique concept with units sold to investors who are leasing out the space themselves or directly to individual store owners. It will eventually be home to more than 500 businesses.
The 320,000-square-foot mall, which is practically sold out, will have more than 500 stores ranging in size from 285 square feet to 855 square feet. The units were priced between $190,000 and $750,000.
The food court features 26 sold-out units with seats for more than 300 shoppers. The shopping centre also has underground parkade and outside surface parking.
The mall mirrors another Torgan Group project, Pacific Mall in Markham, Ont., which launched in 1993. Pacific Mall is also home to The Best Shop.
New Horizon Mall also announced last week that it has launched a store opening bonus program with grants available to stores that open before Dec. 31.
The mall is open daily from noon to 8 p.m.
Mario Toneguzzi is a veteran Calgary-based journalist who worked for 35 years for the Calgary Herald, including 12 years as a senior business writer.
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