The power of leasing – Apsys summarises 2024

124 new contracts and 160 extensions of existing leases – this is how the leasing department of Apsys Polska closed 2024, strengthening its position as a leasing agent in the commercial property market. The company consistently develops the commercial offer in the properties it manages and is successful in its leasing activities by introducing exceptional brands to the properties in its portfolio.

As a leading manager on the commercial property market in Poland, Apsys Polska specialises in the comprehensive commercialisation of commercial properties, food halls and mixed-use projects. Thanks to its specialised team of leasing experts, Apsys ensures the selection of brands in line with the property’s positioning, current trends and customers’ needs. All the company’s activities are tailored to the specifics of each property, regardless of its size and location.

– We have had a year of intensive work both in the area of negotiating and finalising contracts with new brands that have decided to open their stores in the properties we manage, and with brands that are expanding their commercial spaces. The past year was also marked by numerous business meetings and discussions, which strengthened our relationships with our partners. Thanks to our flexible approach and ability to adapt to the specifics of individual properties, we have acquired tenants who fit into the unique character of Apsys’ portfolio,” says Marek Błędowski, Vice President and Commercial Director of Apsys Polska.

National and regional debuts

In 2024, Apsys concluded 124 new leases – in properties Focus Rybnik, Galeria Katowicka, Galeria Gniezno, Centrum Janki, Kometa, Manufaktura, Posnania, Galeria Przymorze, Riviera and CH Ster. The largest number of brands that have partnered with Apsys come from the fashion (44 agreements) and catering (43 agreements) sectors.

Manufaktura in Łódź attracted customers’ attention with the opening of the first showroom outside Warsaw of the LUSH brand – a manufacturer of handmade cosmetics – or the first Rebernia restaurant in Poland. Manufaktura’s offer was also enriched by a Nike flagship shop, the first shop in Łódź under the S’portofino banner and Candy Pop.

Posnania was chosen by the Victoria’s Secret brand, which in March will open its third salon here in Poland and its first outside of Warsaw (before the opening, a pop-up kiosk of the brand will operate in the mall) and the Italian fashion brand Calliope, which, returning to the Polish market, opened its first salon in this property. Posnania also saw the opening of the first Rosenthal salon in the region, the only Skechers monobrand boutique in the city, new Candy Pop and BOSS salons. A showroom of the Boardriders brand, created for surfing fans, also enriched the offer of the Riviera gallery in Gdynia, while Adidas and Terranova chose the property to locate their first outlets in the Tri-City. The Focus Rybnik gallery saw the opening of new and first Rituals and Homla brand stores in the city, while Galeria Katowicka saw the opening of the first LEGO flagship store in Silesia.

In parallel, Apsys’ leasing department negotiated extensions to existing contracts. As many as 160 extensions were signed in 2024. An important trend was the enlargement of chain stores already operating in individual properties. The largest such deals were concluded for Posnania, where the Eobuwie store was enlarged to 900 sqm, the Pitbull brand relocated and increased its space to over 340 sqm, and the Kuchnie Świata chain relocated and increased its space to over 150 sqm. In Manufaktura in Łódź, the area of the Massimo Dutti shop increased to 630 sqm and the Stradivarius chain shop increased to 420 sqm. In Focus Rybnik, the New Yorker chain shop was increased to over 1,500 sq m, while Riviera in Gdynia, which is developing its tenant mix, gained the largest flagship shop of the 4F brand in Poland after relocating and increasing its lease area to over 600 sq m, and New Yorker adapted a new premises of over 1,700 sq m.

– Depending on the size and specifics of the property, the greatest demand in the past year was for space between 300 and 1,000 sq m. We are observing a clear trend, particularly in larger cities and among large chain tenants, of adapting the size of the space occupied to changing tenant needs and customer expectations, as part of a strategy of optimising the brands’ operations. Catering concepts are also playing an increasingly important role – this segment is growing dynamically and the diversity of the culinary offer is becoming an important element to attract customers. Our portfolio includes properties dedicated to gastronomy, such as Food Fyrtel or Hala Targowa, which are attractive spaces for new and developing concepts,” says Marek Błędowski of Apsys Polska.

Development of gastronomic concepts

One of the most important and eagerly awaited novelties by customers was the opening in Manufaktura of the first premises of the Rebernia gastronomic concept from Lviv in Poland. The agreement concluded with the Ukrainian Holding !FEST covered more than 1,000 sq m of space including a summer garden. Among the culinary novelties, Filip Chajzer’s food truck Kreuzberg Kraft Kebap and Japanese flavours served by Kimsu also appeared. In turn, Galeria Katowicka saw the debut of the Wagożercy gastronomy concept offering dishes by weight in a varied and fresh edition, while the Pizzarium 01 and Blogo brands appeared at Galeria Riviera in Gdynia. The gastronomic offer of Riviera, Janki and Posnania was enriched by the popular Popeyes chain restaurant, which thus made its debut in Poznań and the Tri-City.

In 2024, the first proprietary food hall of Apsys Polska strengthened its position on the culinary map of Poznań. Thanks to its carefully selected gastronomic concepts and diverse events, Food Fyrtel remains a dynamic place where the natural turnover of tenants allows the offer to be constantly refreshed. Last year, brands such as Viking’s Kitchen, Zapieksy, TBC – Tokyo Cheesecake Bakery, Wasabi Sushi, Pitagoras, Petit Paris Bistro, Sexy Bull and Tu Jest Bar joined the ranks of tenants. In addition, seasonal offerings have been added by Kura Warzyw, Green Bubble, The Fry, La Casa, Vetlabb, Sphinx, Nai Thai and Dim Sum & Ramen, among others.

– The strength of Food Fyrtel is the carefully selected mix of tenants, where we harmoniously combine well-known brands with local, non-chain food concepts, which currently account for nearly 40% of our offer. An additional advantage for customers, and an interesting solution for tenants, is the seasonal offer, which consists of pop-ups and food trucks operating in the summer. It allows the introduction of new flavours and culinary experiences. Compared to 2023, traffic at Food Fyrtl increased by 28%, which translated into an increase in tenant turnover of more than a fifth. In the case of Posnania and Food Fyrtl, we see a synergy effect. Thanks to the unique offer and business model, our food hall is an important argument for choosing Posnania as a shopping and leisure destination,” says Elżbieta Rek, Portfolio Leasing Director at Apsys Polska.

Leasing success has also been recorded for a new property in Apsys Polska’s portfolio – Hala Targowa in Gdańsk. The extensive revitalisation will result in a mixed-use project entirely dedicated to food. Four elegant restaurants with waiter service will be created on the top level, while the ground floor will be occupied by a modern food hall where guests will be able to sample a variety of cuisines from around the world. Traditional retail will remain an integral part of the hall – fresh food will continue to be available on level -1 and vegetable, fruit and flower stalls will return to the Green Market once the renovation is complete. In addition to the food and retail offer, the hall will also become a venue for cultural events, tailored to different community groups.

– At the end of 2024, as much as 80 per cent of the Hala Targowa has been leased, which is a very good result, especially considering that the purchase transaction was only finalised at the end of the year. Such a high level of tenant interest confirms that the project fits perfectly with the needs of the market and has the potential to become one of the most important gastronomic and cultural points in Gdańsk,” says Marek Błędowski. – We are convinced that the actions taken in 2024 will bring further contracts in 2025, and that our investments will continue to set new standards in the segment of gastronomic and retail spaces. In the following years, we plan to continue developing our offer, implementing innovative and sustainable solutions, promoting good practices among tenants, such as green attachments to leases, which are already in force in 4 properties from our portfolio – Posnania, Manufaktura, Focus Park in Rybnik and Centrum Riviera in Gdynia, and further strengthening our relationships with business partners and creating functional, vibrant places that inspire, connect people and create a new quality of urban life,” – concludes M. Błędowski.