After the Bell: What retail apocalypse? More shopping malls planned in SA

Photo by Fons Heijnsbroek on Unsplash

In my Johannesburg North neighbourhood, there are four Woolworths food stores within a 7km radius. In that same radius, there are two Clicks pharmacy stores, two Pick n Pays and two Spars.

These retailers are mostly in strip malls, which allow ease of access as the stores are lined up in a row and offer the convenience of not going through a maze of parking. Some of the stores in the 7km radius are located in two big malls and getting to them requires the pain of going through floors of paid parking, with greater chances of forgetting where you left your car.

This glut of retail space is great for competition and consumers, who are spoilt for choice. However, I often wonder if these stores, so close to each other and in the same catchment area, are profitable.

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