Hong Kong’s Bosco Wong helped open the Xi’an attraction
Hong Kong heart-throb Bosco Wong and around 60,000 fans and customers took part in the grand opening of the Mosaic Xi’an mall in one of China’s oldest cities before China’s National Day holiday.
The opening event was staged in the capital Shaanxi province during the traditional Chinese holiday period by Pradera Retail Asia, a joint venture retail asset management specialist, which used the occasion to showcase the latest addition to its mainland portfolio.
The popular TV star, local government officials and executives from Pradera and its joint venture partner Macquarie Retail Real Estate Management, joined the unveiling of the 120,000 square metre GFA (1,291,669 square foot) mall, hailed as the latest shopping and entertainment landmark inside the 14th century walls of the former Chinese capital.
The development is the fourth retail asset currently operated by Pradera Retail Asia in China and seeks to win the hearts of 20 to 45 year-old shoppers by hosting a mix of international fashion brands, entertainment venues and F&B providers, which it plans to enhance with a year-long event program.
Creating a New Shopping Experience in an Ancient City
“Mosaic Xi’an creates an innovative shopping experience, so as to satisfy consumers’ booming demand for situating more creative means of entertainment in malls,” said Alison Rehill-Erguven, CEO of Pradera Retail Asia.
A view of the interior of Mosaic Xi’an
The mall’s opening event brought entertainment front and centre with a carnival style show that included specially curated performances such as laser dancing, light graffiti, a Zumba show and a moon-themed parade amid the translucent, aquarium-like columns supporting the light-edged floors surrounding the project’s atrium.
Located in Xi’an’s central commercial district along Jiefang Lu, the design of the new destination incorporates motifs from the famed city wall and the surrounding moats. The clean-lined interior hosts jumbo video screens projecting the latest entertainments to the visitors.
Acoording to Rehill-Erguven, the development offers “shopping with an entertaining twist” to capture the hearts and spending power of a millennial generation that has grown up on ecommerce.
To bring in shoppers in the Shaanxi provincial capital who may purchase many of their necessities online, Mosaic Xi’an focuses on “elevating consumer experiences.”
“Experiential business is critical for the overall industry. When more and more shopping centers are transforming into “one-stop” shopping experience centers, we go further to provide the latest advancements in entertainment, F&B and fashion, as well as events, customer service and technology, leading young customer groups on an unforgettable, entertaining journey,” Rehill-Erguven added.
Bringing Experiences into the Tenant Mix
Currently 80 percent-leased, the eight-storey shopping mecca features experiential offerings such as Korean cinema company CGV, a first-to-market boutique aquarium “Ocean of Color”, trendy sports center Feel+ and an upgraded Really Fitness Gym.
Thousands of people visited the new shopping centre during its grand opening
“With Pradera Retail Asia’s strong leasing capability and rich international resources, we bring a strong and diverse tenant mix to the shopping center,” explained Rhys Evans, Head of Asset Management at Pradera Retail Asia. The China retail veteran added that, “Mosaic Xi’an will offer new fashion, culinary and entertainment experiences for young consumers in Xi’an and Northwest China. “
The mall’s curated selection of shops includes a Nike Kicks Lounge and locations for Adidas Originals, Under Armour, Puma and Semir. A line-up of fashion boutiques such as Only, Me & City, Vero Moda, Hotwind, Belle, Miniso, Biowoosoo and Derier appeal to the trend-loving millennials.
Keeping with the trend toward a larger dining presence, Mosaic Xi’an provides a plethora of food and beverage options, ranging from fast-growing new startups to big-name brands, from local food to fine dining. In addition to Chinese regional cuisine the destination also makes available global gourmet delicacies. Popular restaurant brands such as Xuji Seafood, Xibei Restaurant, Xihe Bistro Coucou Hotpot, Beijing Wangshunge Fish Head, Seorae Restaurant, Xiabu Xiabu, and drinks and dessert stores including Costa, NenlüTea, Pingze Coffee Shop, Gong Cha, Mi Tea, CoCo Tea, Enjoying Tea are positioned to meet the needs of increasingly affluent millennial and post-millennial consumers in the area.
Retail Destination Teams Up With Online Giants
During its opening period, Mosaic Xi’an has leveraged China’s high level of mobile Internet penetration to bring shoppers to its newest retail location.
The company’s marketing team has arranged tie-ups with local music and video-sharing social network Tik Tok (or Douyin in Chinese) to have the online influencers interacting with the shoppers and introducing a series of promotional offers. Tencent’s trending online video game, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, has hosted a competition and a WeChat red pocket lucky draw to award the winners with F&B coupons and drive its offline initiatives with online activities.
“(While) technology has inevitably changed the retail industry, consumers still want to shop in the stores to feel and touch the products,” Rehill-Erguven noted. “We must not underestimate the power of human interaction and the need for it.”
The company’s marketing team arranged tie-ups with local music and video-sharing social network Tik Tok (or Douyin in Chinese), and hit online multiplayer battle royale game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds to leverage the online to drive its offline initiative.
Leveraging Technology to Enhance the Consumer Experience
To ensure that families can enjoy a hassle-free visit to the destination, Mosaic Xi’an has teamed up with Panda Stroller to provide baby stroller service at a number of locations within the shopping center. Taking the family focus a step further, a purpose-built nursery room offers an infant care kit and baby toys to ensure that parents can care for their babies on site.
To further enhance the customer experience, Mosaic Xi’an has also provides a team of carefully trained female customer service representatives who are dispatched at customer request on two-wheeled, self-balancing personal transporters to provide concierge shopping guidance, book restaurants or deliver baby trolleys for young families.
The tech emphasis extends to all aspects of the facility including a smart air quality monitoring network, and a high-tech ceiling-mounted ventilation system. Outside Mosaic Xi’an, a state of the art parking payment system ensures that leaving the centre is a friction-less process.
Adding to a China Mall Portfolio
Pradera Retail Asia opened Mosaic Xi’an after the retail asset management specialist had already established and operated a set of three retail properties in Shanghai, Qingdao and Chongqing.
The firm took over what is now Mosaic Shanghai on the city’s famous East Nanjing Lu walking street in 2016, and has since rolled out Asia’s first Shanghai Dungeon attraction this September managed by London’s Merlin Entertainment. The iconic shopping mall also includes a themed M Square, offering a collection of niche cosmetic and lifestyle brands. The upcoming M Porium on the fourth floor incorporates classic Shanghai design elements to contain an array of F&B operators and artsy stores.
Further north, Mosaic Qingdao provides a convenient parent-child environment through the integration of education, entertainment and interactive attractions to provide an engaging experience for family members of all ages.
The eight-floor Mosaic Metro Park in Chongqing boasts 130 retail tenants, with a large food and beverage offering strategically selected to attract families and millennials.
Pradera Retail Asia is a joint venture between London-based Pradera and Macquarie Retail Real Estate Management, a subsidiary of Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA). The two-year-old firm now manages a total leasing area of 200,000 square meters (2.2 million square feet) on the mainland.
“We’ve always been optimistic about the growth of the China market and the region,” remarked Rehill-Erguven. “Combining extensive experience in global retail asset management with deep market knowledge and resources, Pradera Retail Asia continues to position itself for the longer term in the market. In addition, we will leverage the global platform to bring our best practices to the region.”
Mosaic Xi’an in Pictures
This sponsored feature was created on behalf of Pradera Retail Asia. To find out more about the project or the company, please visit their page on the Pradera website.
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