"alician shopping centres are going through one of those moments that mark the future. Either for better or for worse. While a few days ago the closure of El Corte Inglés in Marineda City in A Coruña was announced, in Lugo As Termas seems to be going in the opposite direction, with more openings, renovations and few empty premises.
It was in 2005 when the largest shopping centre in Galicia opened on Avenida Infanta Elena . Eighteen years later, the space is experiencing a growth spurt after a difficult period. The opening of new businesses such as Ulanka, JYKS and Juguetilandia and the reconfiguration of Zara set the pace for a commercial area that today has around 70 businesses open.
The hospitality area
The upper floor of As Termas was designed as a meeting and relaxation point and most of the premises are reserved for the hospitality industry. Businesses such as McDonald's, Nación Pizza or Galeón are classics here, where more recently La Urbana, KFC, Burritos or Turkish Kebab have settled. There is also Pizza Móvil there and a good part of the surface is occupied by the Yelmo cinemas. On the lower floor, outside, with a separate entrance, there is also a Burger King. The Bico de Xeado ice cream parlour and the Belros jelly sweets parlour also have a "corner", as well as a space for Japanese products.
Inditex pulls the cart
The main driving force behind the As Termas shopping centre, the second to be built in Lugo, are the fashion stores, especially the large multinationals. Inditex once had seven different branches there, although now, as part of the firm's strategic policy, these have been reduced. Lefties (on the top floor), Pull&Bear, Stradivarius and Bershka remain, along with Zara, which is currently preparing to expand its premises. The closure of the store in the centre brings with it the firm's expansion in the shopping centre, which will also include the premises once occupied by Massimo Dutti and Oysho, among others.
Two spaces with pull
Inditex brands are the driving force in the shopping centre, but they are not the only ones. Media Markt, a technology and electronics space that is fully established in the centre, has been operating with a separate entrance since the beginning. And something similar happens with Arenal. The company from Lugo has the most important exponent of its perfumery business in As Termas, since it has a very large stock of references there and the store functions as a reference.
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In As Termas there are numerous clothing stores, beyond Inditex. Mango, H&M, C&A, Sfera, Inside, the sports specialist JD Sports, the multi-brand Código Denim, Korner, Korner Júnior, Cortefiel, Espirit or Salsa operate there. Also the sports store Décimas, the children's store Mayoral, which had closed its store in the centre last year; or Woman Secret, a lingerie store.
In the accessories sector there is Parfois; Serendipia offers bags and suitcases; and shoe stores also offer various alternatives. This is the case of Krack, which has renovated its establishment, Ulanka, the latest opening to take hold, Geox, which has changed location, Loogo or Deichman.
But the shops that are operating in As Termas also cover other areas. This is the case of Opticalia and Soloptical, specialised in the world of optics; Max Colchón, for mattresses; Equivalenza, with perfumes; Trama, with home clothes; Game, for video games; ToysRUs and Juguetilandia, for toys; the telephone companies Movistar, Yoigo, Vodafone and The Phone House; La Casa de las Carcasas and Mimo mi Móvil, for smartphone cases; or the waxing and beauty shops Único and Bedda. Also the eyebrow shop Sundara or the manicure shop Nails.
Jewellery stores also have their place in the shopping centre: the José Luis stores, a regular fixture in shopping centres, Calvo, Pandora and Time Road are all open.
Calzedonia, Kiko Milano and Dom Barberías also occupy premises in the large Lugo shopping centre, as does a lottery office and a shoe repair and key copying business, Mister Minit, and the herbalist Mel-Flor.
One of the latest to open is JYSK, the Danish furniture and decoration firm, while a classic business is Kiwoko Super, specialising in animals. Last autumn, the Family Cash supermarket also began operating. For the little ones, there is also a toy car rental stand, Minime Cars. Leroy Merlín, Srpinter and Norauto are also located outside the centre."
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