Shipping containers offer glimpse into malls of the future
Local developers are thinking out-of-the-box with a new shopping mall design for Kwamashu entrepreneurs.
With start-up companies struggling to find their way into the retail platform, local developers have come up with a concept that will see a series of small shopping centre complexes countrywide.
Big Box Park, situated in KwaMashu, north of Durban -officially opens on October 1st, and will offer retro-fitted shipping containers for 30 start-up companies.
Murray Clark - founder and owner of the PropRoyale Developments and Sabi Construction - says with unemployment figures sitting at almost 27%, start-up companies have the potential to impact the country's economy in a positive way.
"We wanted to create a super cool retail platform for start-up companies where the cost of entry is really low, but where we'd educate them as well. And at this super-critical point, because without educating young entrepreneurs about business, you can have the entrepreneurial DNA and the heart of an entrepreneur, but if you're not educated about how to run your business, you essentially end up with your back against the wall," he said.
Clark says the parks will be situated either near a taxi rank or commuter node - where there is high foot traffic, giving entrepreneurs the best chance of success.