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The Málaga Nostrum shopping centre is looking at a relaunch, which will introduce Costco - the membership-only US supermarket chain. The supermarket will take up the space currently occupied by the cinema. Work began at the end of January to relocate the cinemas to the building that used to house the Conforama furniture shop.
The project is promoted by Bogaris Group (Málaga Nostrum owners) and the Costco managers with the goal of enhancing the value of the city's business parks and industrial area. Basque architect Antxon Taberna is behind the design of Costco, while local architect Salvador Moreno Peralta is behind the refurbishment of Conforama, which will house 14 cinema screens on the first floor and commercial premises on the ground floor.
According to deadlines, construction company Sando has a year to fully relocate the cinemas to the Conforama building. The demolition of the current cinema, to make space for the construction of the supermarket, is expected to take about six months. The sum of these periods indicates that Malaga will have its Costco store in more than two years, as the construction of the supermarket will also take an additional nine months.
One of the main features of the future supermarket is the large number of parking spaces it will offer, hinting at a large number of customers attracted by the traditionally low prices and family-size packages that the US chain is known for. For those who don't know, Costco operates on a membership-only basis and requires an annual fee (36 euros for individuals and 30 euros for companies and the self-employed) for customers to be able to shop there.
The urban planning regulations for this shop require a minimum of 400 parking spaces, which Costco will increase to a total of 640 by incorporating the basement and the ground floor of the future building. There will also be a service for tyre replacement and the supermarket's main entrance on the ground floor.
The pedestrian entrance will be on the corner of Calle Jaén and Calle Tarragona. Cars will be able to enter the car park from Calle Ávila, Tarragona and Jaén. In addition, there will be a fourth access at the southwest end for vehicles that transport goods.
The promoters of this project have prepared a traffic study, according to which the implementation of the supermarket is "viable" because "it does not imply, in general terms, a decrease in the quality of traffic service levels in the area".
However, the study has highlighted that traffic of around 970 vehicles could be generated in the area on Saturday afternoons. To avoid clusters and jams, as well as the use of the roundabout located next to the shopping centre as a connection point with the MA-22 road to the Poniente seafront, the project promoters are seeking the assistance of the central government, the city council and the association of industrial estates to implement measures that will promote public transport and cycling.
Costco's retail space is planned for the first floor of the future building, valued at 26.4 million euros. The shop will occupy a surface area of more than 12,000 square metres, of which 5,811 will be for the general sales area, 2,777 for shelving and stocking tables and 641 for access and tills.
The shop will include areas for a butcher's section, dairy products, fruit and vegetables, fish, frozen food, bakery and pastries, a ready meals area and one for preparing roasts. One of the hallmarks of this unique supermarket chain, present in 14 countries around the world, is the low-price offer.
On its austere, warehouse-like shelves, the company promotes "savings and quality". "Costs are kept to a minimum, we don't spend on advertising or fancy materials," they explain on their website. Costco's stores save as much as possible on fixtures and fittings and ancillary services. Their shops look more like industrial warehouses where the products are distributed in large aisles stacked on pallets and high shelves.
Another hallmark is the large format, not only in the space of their stores. The vast majority of products are sold in extra large sizes or family packs with the aim of selling a lot of volume in order to adjust profits and achieve lower prices.
The final feature announced in the transformation of the Málaga Nostrum shopping centre at the moment is the construction of a low-cost petrol station - another signature feature of Costco.
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