According to BusinessTech, Menlyn Park Shopping Centre in Pretoria now houses 434 stores, the highest number of individual retailers in any South African mall.
The mall’s current size is about 177 000 square metres of gross lettable area (GLA, the space that can be rented to tenants). That makes it the second-largest centre in the country, trailing Fourways Mall, which measures roughly 178 000 square metres of GLA.
How Menlyn Park grew its shop count
Menlyn Park opened in 1979 after Old Mutual Properties funded a modest retail complex for the expanding Pretoria East population. Subsequent expansions were driven by rising foot traffic. BILD Architects led a major redesign, and a decade later Development Design Group, an American firm, partnered on another upgrade.
In 2000 the centre underwent an R800 million redevelopment that lifted its floor space to about 118 000 square metres and added roughly 300 stores. The project was noted for its tent-like roof structure and was praised as innovative at the time.
The most recent overhaul, carried out between 2014 and 2016 by property investment firm Pareto, cost around R2.5 billion. Completed in two stages, the expansion pushed the GLA to the current 177 000 square metres and re-configured former event spaces into a food court and a dedicated fashion wing. Pareto says the centre now hosts 434 stores, anchored by Woolworths, Checkers and H&M.
Fourways Mall, located in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg, briefly claimed the title of largest mall by GLA after a 2019 expansion that added 1 000 square metres to reach 178 000 square metres. However, its website lists about 350 stores, well below Menlyn Park’s count.
Fourways Mall is currently adding a luxury restaurant complex at a cost of roughly R100 million, according to its strategic asset manager Flanagan & Gerard. The new development aims to capture high-end dining demand in the area.
For retailers, the distinction between GLA and shop count matters. A larger floor area can mean more parking and broader customer reach, but a higher number of individual stores often translates to greater foot traffic diversity and niche market opportunities. Small and medium-sized retailers may view Menlyn Park’s dense store mix as a sign of a healthy tenant mix, while larger anchor tenants might prefer the broader space offered by Fourways Mall.
South Africa’s mall sector has seen a wave of refurbishments and expansions over the past two decades, driven by urban growth and shifting consumer preferences. The competition between Menlyn Park and Fourways Mall illustrates how developers balance size, store variety and experiential offerings to attract both shoppers and tenants.
Retailers considering a South African location should weigh the trade-off between a mall’s total lettable area and its number of stores. Menlyn Park’s record shop count suggests a densely packed retail environment that could benefit niche brands seeking high visibility, while Fourways Mall’s larger footprint may suit retailers that need larger floor spaces or flagship formats.
For more analysis of retail trends, see our Retail & Consumer coverage.
