BEO Mall was opened during one of the most difficult years in recent history – the year of lockdown. It has now celebrated its third birthday. Vlad Valcea and Nevena Martinović share some insights.
BEO opened in a year when all expectations had to be moderated… what do you remember of the first months with regards to what you hoped for with the new mall, and what you got?
BEO Mall opened on 25 June 2020, right after the first and longest pandemic lockdown. I remember that we had a fantastic opening day and ceremony, with lots of visitors looking forward to experiencing the new attraction in the district of Old Belgrade and to enjoy time outside of their confinement caused by the lockdowns.
The food court was an instant success, and the overall retail offering was welcomed by the primary catchment of the project. Those initial months exceeded our expectations in terms of traffic and sales, because honestly, we really didn’t know what to expect after just those first few months of the pandemic. Most importantly we were in awe of the great effort made by both the team and the tenants to open the mall despite uncertainties ahead, with the hope and belief that things would turn out fine because of the quality of the project.
The world is back to normal now, three years on, or is it? How is that reflected in the performance of BEO Mall? Have retail patterns shown a lasting change as a result of the pandemic?
BEO Mall is by industry standards a young mall and still needs a few more years to be considered mature. However, it has continued to excel and break new records year after year, which is solid proof of its quality and its potential for further growth. We are very excited about its prospects. Currently, the mall is 100% occupied and we are planning to add more entertainment offerings to cater for the profile and demands of our customers.
It is quite an achievement to have reached three years. What have been some of the highlights of the past three years?
Ever since BEO opened, we have been using our marketing activities to create a fun and interactive community hub, encouraging people to share and enjoy great experiences together. One of our most popular activities is BEO Runners, the running club coached by Serbia’s most awarded athlete, Mihail Dudas, where participants can enjoy the sport, the camaraderie, as well as a wide range of discounts on sports equipment and supplements. Leveraging the trend of selfie culture, we organised several themed exhibits at several different locations in the centre that provided a perfect backdrop for photos, and our visitors really enjoyed it. During the holiday season, we set up a large ice rink at BEO’s Central Square, which was greatly appreciated by our youngest visitors. Throughout the year, we celebrate all the important dates – Valentine’s Day, International Woman’s Day, Easter, the beginning of the sales season, Back2School, Black Friday, Halloween, Christmas, and so on. The mall’s birthday is always a special occasion where we offer exceptional promotions and entertainment options to our visitors.
Our CSR activities, which focus on cooperation with children’s shelters, represents an important part of our work. These include collecting Christmas gifts with generous support from our tenants and business partners, organising visits to art exhibitions, various workshops, film screenings, and more.
We also had very special support from our mascot, Buddy the robot, who is particularly popular with children. He taught them how to dance, and how to read properly, then played memory games, and sometimes even rewarded them with cookies. Buddy was the favorite employee of BEO Shopping Center and a great example of how we apply the latest industry trends.
How was the third birthday celebrated?
Our birthday slogan was, “When BEO celebrates its birthday, everyone is welcome!” Our idea was to create a circus theme that would offer additional entertainment to visitors and that could be rolled out in a unique BEO manner. We organised an unprecedented circus of entertainment and shopping, games with prizes, and different activations for all visitors. For our youngest visitors, for instance, we provided a beautifully adorned carousel, which was a huge hit.
What is on the BEO agenda for the future?
Looking ahead we’re planning to extend the existing layout on the second floor to add a Kid’s Playground, providing more of what our customers want so that families can increase their leisure time at the centre. Research has shown that families are the most loyal segment of the centre’s visitors. Total GLA will be increased from 44 357 sqm to 49 700 sqm.
BEO’s impact on people and the environment is critical to us, so our ESG strategy is very important, and we work towards achieving a set of environmental goals. They are an integral part of the building and management efforts of BEO Shopping Center. Our social initiatives will continue to grow and support communities around the centre. Finally, our third set of goals, concerning governance, will focus on promoting diversity, equality, and inclusion. We have a strong green agenda of improving our ecological footprint with the aim to become carbon negative, water positive, reduce our waste to zero, and build ecosystems. We have eight charging stations for electric cars at BEO Shopping Center, and over 20 bicycle parking spaces, while parking and charging stations for e-bicycles and e-scooters are in the implementation process. Our aim is to stimulate and promote alternative ways of transport and their positive impact on both the environment and a healthy lifestyle.
We are in the process of installing 5 500 sqm of solar panels on the mall’s roof, which will become the main energy source for the centre. We have also implemented an energy management system for monitoring water consumption to ensure water savings by using special equipment such as sensor taps, an irrigation system and rainwater harvesting. Furthermore, we are implementing a recycling policy with a focus on converting waste into reusable materials. We already recycle more than 96 tons of cardboard and 5 200 kg of glass every year.
We’re also in the process of installing five bee hotels on BEO’s rooftop, as part of our green strategy. Encouraging bees creates an environment where these vital contributors to our ecosystem can go about their essential business of pollinating plants.
Our BEO Shopping Center green strategy will be promoted via 3D interactive kiosks, which will be placed at several different locations in the centre. Visitors will have an opportunity to enjoy the rich multimedia content while being engaged in our ESG projects.