Popular shopping mall in South Africa gets R75 million expansion, bringing a first to the Eastern Cape
Growthpoint Properties’ expansion of the Walmer Park Shopping Centre in Gqeberha is set to bring several new stores, including the first Yuppiechef in the Eastern Cape.
The Walmer Park shopping centre has approximately 43,000 square metres of floor space, and currently has around 120 stores.
The centre is owned and operated by Growthpoint Properties, a JSE-listed real estate investment trust (REIT), which owns several major malls in South Africa.
This is set to increase, following the completion of phase one of the ongoing plans to expand and refurbish the centre.
The first phase began in March 2026 and led to increased floor space for some existing stores, as well as the introduction of Burnt Studios and Old School outlets.
“Burnt Studios and Old School, both of which are available exclusively at Walmer Park in Gqeberha, opened in July 2026 as part of the first phase of the mall revamp,” Growthpoint Properties said.
The additional space was created through a new mall area within the shopping centre, giving retailers a chance to enter an already full centre.
Stores such as Bootlegger Coffee, FARO, and Slops and Clogs have also opened their doors in the centre since the start of August.
Growthpoint head of retail asset management Gavin Jones said, “Walmer Park has consistently demonstrated the trading resilience and tenant demand that justify ongoing reinvestment.”
“The additions to the centre’s retail mix made possible by this redevelopment will help ensure that it remains the dominant retail address in the city for years to come.”
The final phase of the shopping centre’s expansion is expected to be complete in November 2026, ahead of the festive season.
This stage of the project will introduce Yuppiechef to the centre, the brand’s first physical location in the Eastern Cape.
It will also introduce international beauty brand ARC and a redesigned iStore, along with several other retailers having updated store spaces.
“The redevelopment, the eighth upgrade in the centre’s 38-year history, also incorporates energy-efficient lighting, a rooftop solar installation and the continued supply of filtered borehole water to customers and tenants,” Growthpoint said.
Walmer Park centre manager, Leonie Scheepers, said, “Shoppers are responding enthusiastically to the fresh variety that the new mall area already provides.”
“We are proud to be bringing brands and experiences to Gqeberha that shoppers cannot find anywhere else in the city, and there is a great deal more still to come before the festive season.”
Shopping mall redevelopments
The redevelopment of Walmer Park shopping centre is not the first expansion project taken on by Growthpoint Properties.
The group have taken on six major retail redevelopments, including the R270 million upgrade and expansion of the Paarl Mall.
These refurbishments have included installing 5 megawatts of solar power across four malls and redeveloping the internal space at Greenacres shopping centre.
Other expansion projects have been undertaken by the group at the Longbeach Mall in Cape Town and the La Lucia Mall in KwaZulu-Natal.
“These investments reflect Growthpoint’s broader retail portfolio strategy of prioritising capital allocation to dominant centres with strong trading metrics and proven reinvestment potential, with a particular focus on key coastal metros,” the group said.
At Walmer Park shopping centre, the expansion project has happened without closing the mall to customers.
Growthpoint Properties’ head of retail development, Mark Langley, said that completing the first phase without closing the surrounding centre was a strong achievement and added, “We are equally focused on delivering phase two to the same standard.”
The opening of Mr DIY, a Malaysian home improvement retailer, will come as part of the second and final phase and is expected in October 2026.
“The MR.DIY store at Entrance 3 has been designed specifically for the concept by consolidating four smaller stores into a single retail space,” Growthpoint said.
Photos of Walmer Park
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