East Africa's Biggest Mall With 32 Restaurants Set To Overtake Two Rivers [PHOTOS]

Since opening on February 14, 2017, Two Rivers was the largest shopping mall in Kenya in floor size occupying 65,000 square metres having overthrown Garden City Mall (50,000 square metres) along Thika Road from the prestigious position of the region’s largest mall.

However, a newcomer in Eastleigh, Nairobi is set to revolutionize the shopping experience in Kenya and is coming for the Ksh25 billion Two Rivers' crown with determination. This is the Business Bay Square (BBS) mall.

The bustling Eastleigh estate in Kenya's capital, which is also a one-stop shop for almost everything ranging from fashion to foodstuffs at affordable prices, is set to welcome the shopping mall which once complete, will boast 333,000 square feet, making it the largest shopping mall in the whole country and in East and Central Africa.

Outside the Business Bay Square Mall. /BBS MALL

The ambitious project located along General Waruinge Street in Nairobi sits on a 6.4-acre piece of land and will be expected to host a 7-star hotel, over 3,500 shops, 3 hospitals, 12 banks, 32 restaurants, and 2,200 parking spaces. The hotel will include 130 to 150 standard rooms. 

"Business Bay Square Mall is modelled to be a unique one-stop Centre for commerce that offers the ultimate shopping experience, Business Bay Square comprises several levels of retail space that include a Souk Market and a variety of shops," BBS wrote on its Instagram.

The mall is also expected to host a wide range of food and beverage services offered to customers as well as an easy access point for cars where customers can catch an Uber in minutes.

"There will also be some elite class fine dining outlets which will exhibit classy articles in the house and provide elaborate food services including international cuisines," the BBS mall stated on its website.

American multinational Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and Pizzahut, South African fast food chain Galito’s, and Artcaffe, will be some of the fast food stores to be hosted at the mall, which will also feature a food court on the rooftop, according to a previous report by the Business Daily.

Impression of a bowling alley at BBS Mall. /BBS MALL

It features a plethora of food and beverage outlets, fashion stores, health and beauty shops, and banking services. Among them include international brands such as Giordano - a Hong Kong international retailer of apparel and accessories, Linton’s Beauty World with skincare, makeup, and fragrance brands including Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty, Clinique, Estée Lauder, Turkish brand LC Waikiki among others.

Some of the businesses reported to be setting shop include Optica, Goodlife Pharmacy, Cleanfax Laundry and Cleaners, Beyond Fruits, Healthy U, and Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed lender NCBA among others. French multinational retailer Carrefour, which operates more than 12,000 outlets globally is the mall’s anchor tenant.

The ultra-modern mall will also be home to three major hospitals offering various facilities to outpatients.

"The facility shall provide consultation, pharmacies, laboratories, diagnosis, and treatment services for outpatients. It shall also be serviced by an independent lobby, lifts, and ambulance bay at the entry-level," the BBS mall stated on its website.

The residential segment will include 2-bedroom furnished apartments with a floor area of 90-100 sq m and 2 en-suite bedrooms and 3-bedroom unfurnished apartments with a floor area of 150-170 sq m.

The BBS Mall Eastleigh will also feature a grand mosque that can accommodate more than 1,500 worshippers comfortably at any given prayer session.

The remaining land will create space for storage facilities, ample parking, events & exhibition space, entertainment and recreational facilities as well as a modern swimming pool.

The mall is being constructed by BML Limited, contractors from Chinese conglomerate CRJE, Maestro limited architect, structural engineers from Stroutel Africa and the project managers from MaceYMR.

BBS Mall is a multimillion mall owned by Ten Commodities Wholesalers Limited, a business group registered in 2018 with its headquarters at Britam Towers, Nairobi.

The group was established with the goal of channelling resources to undertake significantly large trades in commodities and fund projects that change skylines. The company has interests in the import and export of commodities such as tea, sugar, coffee, oil, wheat and other bulk grains across Africa and the Middle East.

The company is managed by a steering committee composed of Abdiweli Mohamed Hassan who serves as the Founder, Chairman and Director, Ali Bashi who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Yasin Hussein who is the Chief Financial Officer and Mokase Monono who is the Project Director.

This BBS Mall project was divided into two phases, and it was reported that the first phase is 90 per cent complete. 

A medical facility at BBS Mall. /BBS MALL

Inside some of the apartments at the Business Bay Square Mall in Eastleigh Nairobi. /BBS MALL

Impression of shoppers at the Business Bay Square Mall in Eastleigh Nairobi. /BBS MALL