Szczecinbiznes.pl: Does it imply that Szczecin is an attractive location for commercial activities?

Monika Pyszkowska: Most certainly. Many shopping centres have been opened here, but the majority of them are situated on the outskirts of the town and they function as hypermarkets. What is definitely lacking is a modern shopping centre in the heart of Szczecin which will offer a wide choice of fashionable brands. That is why our lease offer met with wide interest.

How do you intend to attract customers?

We plan to make Kaskada a place where you can not only find exactly what you want but where you can enjoy spending more of your valuable free time. That is why we are so meticulous about the architecture and design – we want the building to be spacious and fair in colour, and we aspire to refer to the history of its location.    

Based on the analyses carried out prior to launching our investment project, fashion labels are hard to find in Szczecin. That is what we will focus on. We plan to introduce 35 brand-name labels that do not have their stores in Szczecin, such as Van Graaf, C&A, Bershka, Pull&Bear, Massimo Dutti, River Island, New Look, Intersport and Humanica. We will also have Zara, Stradivarius, KappAhl, New Yorker, Reserved and Cubus stores and many others.

Kaskada shopping centre will house an Alma supermarket - this is also a result of the market analysis conducted before we started the investment. We will strive to supplement the range of foodstuff products offered in Szczecin by introducing a delicatessen into the market that now seems dominated by hypermarkets.  The inhabitants of Szczecin are bound to welcome the variety.

How about local enterprises – will they fit in with your plans?

When choosing from amongst the local companies, we favoured the most experienced ones. Thus, in Kaskada you will be able to visit a Castellarii café, Puccini store, Trepilowscy jeweller’s shop and a Vobis outlet. Local enterprises will also sell brand-name chain store labels under franchise.

Will one more shopping mall find customers in Szczecin?

No modern shopping centre is located in the heart of Szczecin and we are ready to fill that gap. The development of modern trading in our town has sped up over the recent years, but the market seems unsaturated and even after Kaskada is opened there will be enough room for other new investments.  Even though the markets in other towns such as Łódź or Wrocław are far more saturated, new investment projects are continually undertaken.

Does that mean that we are backward as regards shopping facilities?

It is a fact that other Polish towns were already building modern galleries like Kaskada 10 years ago.  Considering that Szczecin is situated near our western border and cities like Berlin which serves as an ideal example in this respect, it is all the more surprising.
Interviewed by Łucja Pawłowska