Tripla is sprouting new growth

Tripla’s sales have got off to a strong start since it opened in October. The customer volumes have been tremendous. There were several days during the first few weeks when more than 100,000 customers visited Mall of Tripla. The total number of visitors in 2019, during a period of two and a half months, was nearly 6.5 million.

While some people came simply to see the new shopping centre (and it is certainly worth seeing!), most of the visitors did some shopping while they were there. The total sales of Tripla’s shops and services amounted to nearly 75 million euros in October–December, which was in line with expectations.

Christmas sales were divided between November and December even more evenly than before for two reasons: Tax refunds came early and did not create a peak in sales in December. Black Friday in November has become an important retail event that lasts as long as a week. Finnish consumers have embraced Black Friday following its rapid emergence as a global phenomenon through social media. While the campaign is already familiar to many people and it provides strong support in the launch of the Christmas sales season, the success of Black Friday at Mall of Tripla was also ensured by the fact that the retailers had prepared great campaigns and benefits for their customers. It is clear that the Black Friday campaign week will continue to be an important part of Christmas sales and, when it is well executed, it helps with the success of the launch of the holiday season despite falling in November.

Drivers may be surprised by the ease of access

I was admittedly curious to see how a busy transport hub such as Tripla will serve as a place where people enjoy spending time and visiting shops and services, considering that people are usually in a rush when they are going somewhere. The first few months have been promising in this regard, and I expect more of the same in 2020.

While most of the visitors use public transport, there are also customers who need to drive. Finding the new parking facility (Tripla-Parkki) has been a challenge at Tripla in the early days. I expect this to change when people realise how convenient it is to drive to Tripla-Parkki using the new routes and how close to the shops the parking spaces are situated. The easily accessible pickup facilities of Prisma and Supermarket are located on the P1 level of the parking facility, providing effective support for digital retail.

Homes, the hotel and offices will bring more visitors

Tripla is by no means finished yet: the development is still ongoing and a lot is happening: the first residents moved into their new YIT homes at Tripla in December. The much-awaited Sokos Hotel Tripla, which meets a significant need, opened its doors in January. There are already periods in the calendar for next spring when the hotel is fully booked.

Several companies will move their headquarters and offices to Tripla in March–April. This will mean 4,000–5,000 new office worker customers every day. As the number of customers grows, Mall of Tripla will see the opening of new restaurants for lunch as well as relaxation after work. With nearly 70 restaurants and cafés, Mall of Tripla will offer the largest selection of food and beverage outlets in Finland.

We have been in touch with Tripla’s new tenant companies and other companies in the area to point out that the hotel and cinema provide excellent facilities for seminars and meetings. Whether the event is for 50 people or a thousand visitors, Tripla has the facilities for it. I recently attended the “What’s Going on in Retail” event held at Cinamon Tripla, where the relationship between retail and sustainable development was discussed extensively. One of my takeaways from the event was the significance of the climate impact of food and food production. This is a topic that has been actively thought about in the retail industry for quite some time now. I was pleased to find out about the major steps taken by the retail sector on this front, including the identification of practical measures to reduce impacts on the climate.

More life in the city!

Tripla is like a giant anthill that never sleeps. It will be fascinating to see how it operates when everyone has moved and settled in.

Soon we will see how office workers use Tripla’s services when they come to work, during the working day and when it is time to go home, or with their friends and families in the evenings and at weekends. I also look forward to seeing how hotel guests will take advantage of Tripla’s location to visit the Messukeskus Expo and Convention Centre, Hartwall Arena, Linnanmäki amusement park and during short holidays to Helsinki. Will visitors spend nights at Tripla when they come for a stag do or hen do, birthdays and other family celebrations at Mall of Tripla, drawn in by the wide range of services and experiences available.

I expect Tripla will soon be used as a venue for weddings and confirmation parties as well. The members of the local congregation have already started using the premises for christening parties and club activities.

Fokus is the Töölö congregation’s multi-purpose facility that is open to everyone. There are premises available for rent for family celebrations. My grandson will have his christening party at Tripla in February. Tripla is sprouting new growth in many ways!

Pirjo Aalto

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