It has not been easy to get all the labor needed for Mar Shopping Algarve, whether for the construction phase of this shopping center that the IKEA group is building in Loulé, or for the stores that will open there. A problem that will not call into question the inauguration of the development on 26 October – it had already been delayed for about a month -, guaranteed Herman Gewert, general director of the commercial complex, but that he will force the realization of “another job fair”, so that the brands that still have shortages of personnel can complete their staff.
This Tuesday, October 10th, Mar Shopping opened its doors to a group of journalists, who participated in a technical visit that served to make known the main features of the shopping center that will open shortly.
The works continue and hundreds of workers can be seen at the site. But, according to Herman Gewert, it was not easy to find them. “It was difficult to get people to work in the construction and, later, for the stores”, said the head of the shopping centre, during the technical visit.
At the end, speaking to journalists, Herman Gewert recalled that several recruitment initiatives have been promoted in the last two years, to which MAR Shopping and the establishments it will host have joined.
“We took part in an event in Portimão and had two job fairs here, the last of which took place in a tent set up in our car park and attracted 2500 people. We will promote a third fair after we open. There are still stores that need workers. I don't know how many vacancies there are, I just know that in some of these initiatives, some of our tenants completed their teams», revealed the general director of MAR Shopping Algarve.
Finding labor «has been a complicated situation for many entrepreneurs here in the Algarve», he added.
Even so, said the person in charge of Mar Shopping, that was not what prevented the opening of the commercial establishment on 27 September, the date originally announced for its opening. In this case, what failed was the delivery of essential equipment for the security system, “so that we can welcome people and be confident that we can get them out of here in an orderly manner”, if necessary.
This problem has not yet been resolved, as it is still "waiting for installation", but the necessary equipment "is on its way". Herman Gewert is «confident» that it will be possible to install the security equipment in time to open on the new date, despite saying, in a joking tone, when asked about the matter: «anything can happen…».
As noted in the technical visit, although the work is already well advanced, with the common parts practically completed and undergoing detailed interventions, in the commercial spaces themselves, there are very different situations. In some cases, the store is ready to open, with at least one case in which there are even mannequins in the window, dressed up and covered with plastic. In others, work is just starting.
MAR Shopping will have 85 stores, of which “60 to 70” should open on the 26th of October. They are joined by 25 catering establishments. In other words, the shopping center that will open in Loulé will have 110 commercial establishments, including the largest Primark store in the region, the first Starbucks to open in the Algarve, a cinema with five screens equipped with innovative technology and a restaurant « top level', whose concept and promoter are still secret.
Another element that Herman Gewert made a point of showing was the 8 square meter outdoor leisure area, which can be used «by people of all ages». "We made some changes to the initial project so that this space can be used transversally", he said.
It will be this “park” that will link the structure that houses MAR Shopping and the IKEA store – the latter, which has been in operation for several months – and the Designers Outlet, a third commercial space that is being built in the same complex and should open 'before the end of 2017'.
At this location, charging stations for electronic devices powered by solar energy will be installed. The commitment to sustainability is, moreover, a trademark of MAR Shopping, which will be fully illuminated with LED lamps, "which, in addition to using less energy, produce less heat, lowering the need for air conditioning", and will have photovoltaic panels for the production of energy.
Herman Gewert also revealed that he expects this shopping complex to be visited "by nine million people in the first year".
Photos: Hugo Rodrigues|Sul Informação
Comments