Several large retailers will open stores next year in Polus Center Constanta mall, which has been re-branded as Maritimo Shopping Center after the Immofinanz takeover. Swedish clothing retailer H&M and sports retailer Decathlon will open stores in the mall in 2011, when Immofinanz plans to finalize works on the shopping center. French hypermarket chain Auchan will also have a store in the Constanta shopping mall, which should be ready in September next year.

This is H&M's first official store outside capital city Bucharest. So far, H&M has announced it will opens stores in AFI Palace Cotroceni and Baneasa Shopping City in 2011. Romania media has also pointed to the Unirea Shopping Center, Plaza Romania, Bucuresti Mall and Sun Plaza, where H&M could open stores.

Maritimo Shopping Center will have 51,000 sqm in leasing area. Construction works started in 2007 and the mall was supposed to be finalized in 2009. Immofinanz took over the mall from TriGranit developer, having signed the acquisition contract in 2007.

Immofinanz, which was created after the merger of Immoeast and Immofinanz AG, owns 50 properties in Romania, worth EUR 957 million at the end of July.

editor@romania-insider.com