Urban Outfitters to debut in Poland in flagship Warsaw development

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
May 31, 2019

Urban Outfitters is to open its first Central European store with a debut in Elektrownia Powiśle in the heart of Warsaw, Poland. The 860 square metre flagship is in an affluent catchment area that also boasts a large number of tourists, plus a thriving student and office worker community.

The fashion brand already operates in 11 Western European countries and the developer of the mall in which its new store sits said that the flagship shows the commercial potential for international brands to expand into Poland. 

Elektrownia Powiśle is a 54,000 square metre mixed-used lifestyle regeneration scheme. Centred around a former power station on the banks of the Vistula river, the core buildings were erected in 1904. The development features the refurbishment of the power station site with much of the original character and many building features retained. 

The development includes 18,000 sq m (194,000 sq ft) of retail, restaurants, bars and cafes with over 100 units and the first beauty hall in Poland, as well as a 160-bed boutique hotel plus daily events throughout the year.

Architecturally significant power stations have proved a popular pick for retail development elsewhere, and in the UK, London's Battersea Power Station is currently being converted into a major shopping mall.
 
Dariusz Domański, Associate Partner for Development and Leasing Director at developer White Star Real Estate, said: “Warsaw is a prosperous and growing city with an international outlook and great retail opportunities. Elektrownia Powiśle benefits from a central city location, historic significance, cultural and tourist appeal. It is an ideal location for international brands, especially those that are not in Poland currently.”

Emma Wisden, Managing Director of Urban Outfitters Europe, added: “Our ultimate goal, as a brand at the forefront of the global retail market, is to offer our customers a unique experience both in terms of our product and the environment we create to showcase it. For us, retail is experiential, personal and inclusive. The success of this lifestyle assortment of proprietary women’s and men’s apparel mixed with national cult brands, vintage, home and beauty formula puts us in a position to buck current trends and expand our offer further across Europe and the world. Elektrownia Powiśle is an exciting project and Poland a thriving nation which, we feel, will work well.”

Pragma Consulting has estimated that Elektrownia Powiśle will capture some €98 million of non-grocery spend annually.