Brooklyn Mall has experienced a significant decline over the last 5 years, marked by a sharp increase in vacancy rates from 3.6% in 2019 to 18.7% in 2024. Once considered a “premier shopping destination” in Pretoria, the mall has struggled to maintain its market position. Factors contributing to its decline are competition from newer shopping centres like Castle Gate, which offer better alternatives for affluent shoppers. Castle Gate established as a community shopping centre, has systematically increased its Gross Leasable Area (GLA) to the extent that it is now a significant competitor to shopping centres across Pretoria.
By mapping the location of shopping malls and defining their capacity-defined trade areas, it was clear from the start that Castle Gate would significantly impact Brooklyn Mall and other centres in close proximity. The question must be asked – does local government not have a responsibility to protect the interests of property developers by regulating the development of too many shopping malls close to one another? This ensures a balanced network of shopping centres that service the needs of consumers and provide a sustainable source of employment to the city’s population. It also prevents the rapid and significant decline of shopping centres into a state of decay and the impoverishment of surrounding areas.
Brooklyn Mall’s proximity to other major shopping malls in Pretoria
Brooklyn Mall’s Decline – A Case Study in Retail Market Saturation & Urban Decay
The situation is that the decline in Brooklyn Mall will result in a decline in employment opportunities in the area and potentially bring about urban decay in its vicinity. This scenario is playing out in many centres across the country from Killarney Mall in Johannesburg to Westgate in Gqeberha. In some instances, shopping malls can counter the impact of a new shopping mall opening by rapidly increasing their GLA and changing their retail mix. However, Brooklyn Mall will face a difficult road ahead as their trade area demographic characteristics change and its ability to transform its retail mix or increase its GLA is limited. This downfall will contribute to a rise of vagrancy inside the mall and rising crime in the suburb.
Looking at the map of Pretoria’s shopping malls, it’s clear that Brooklyn Mall is located within a highly competitive and accessible retail landscape. However, the dense clustering of shopping malls has led to market saturation, resulting in malls beginning to cannibalize each other. This has resulted in the trade areas and markets splitting, diminishing the foot traffic to these malls. For Brooklyn Mall, this competition has exacerbated its issues, as shoppers have a wide array of choices, particularly those offering a more modern shopping experience or better safety and security.
The situation is that Pretoria’s high per capita retail market is oversupplied, and shopping centres like Brooklyn Mall, that do not or cannot evolve rapidly, will face the continued risk of decline due to competition from shopping malls in close proximity and the rapidly changing characteristics of its market.
Read more on Brooklyn Mall’s plight and that of other shopping centres read BusinessTech’s latest article.
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