The Olde Towne Mall at Sandyport opened right in time for the holiday season.
And according to President of Sandyport Development Company Garth Buckner: “This is one of the most important things to happen in tourism in New Providence this year.
“We think it will mean a lot to the touristy infrastructure that this island has to offer in the market place, particularly for Cable Beach but for the island as a whole,” he told The Guardian in an exclusive interview and tour of the property.
Designed for construction in two phases, stage one of the mall is completed with 32 stores in a wonderful area that has been predicted as the leading shopping centre out west.
With its target set on the local and tourist markets, the Olde Towne Mall once completed, will feature approximately 60 shops. Stores in the second phase are expected to be completed by February 2003.
The Sandyport Development Company Ltd., the primary developer at Sandyport, is supervising the Olde Towne Mall construction. The company owns the original property and has been developing it in stages.
Mr. Buckner noted that the western area of New Providence has developed rapidly over the last 10 years, particularly with residential homes and the Cable Beach Hotel strip.
He added that both of these areas have not been served with a shopping centre offering like Olde Towne Mall.
“There is no centre to this area, so we hope to provide a centre where both locals and tourist can come and shop and dine and be entertained with security in a beautiful environment,” he said.
“In addition to the local market, we are going strongly after the tourist market as well,” he said. “The Olde Town Mall is like an area where tourist can go and choose from an extraordinary array of shops selling quality novelty items all in a congestion-free environment.”
He said that out of the variety of stores in the company’s first development phase, they are almost entirely leased. Comprising of 16,000 square feet, about less than 1000 square feet is left to go.
“Open right now, we have seven shops and two restaurants,” Mr. Buckner said. “This is one of the most important things to happen in tourism in New Providence this year. We think it will mean a lot to the touristy infrastructure that this island has to offer in the market place, particularly for Cable Beach but for the island as a whole.”
Stores that have opened for business during the Christmas season are: the Miracles Day Spa and Beauty Salon, Floral Bouquet Etc., Mrs. B’s Candle Factory, Fantasy Boutique, McClure’s Humidor, The Home Store, the Walk in Clinic at Sandyport. Restaurants include The Cozy Corner Pub and the West Side Cafe. The Mount Horeb Baptist Church at Sandyport also held its first official service last Sunday at 10a.m.
Other stores that are expected to open in the next few weeks include: The West Side Deli, the Provence Restaurant, Coconuts Internet Cafe & Business Centre, Junkanoo Gems, Island Creations by Shin of Nassau, Bahamian Treasures, Caribbean Art Gallery, Sandyport Convenience Store, Flavours Olde Towne Ice Cream Parlor, Silver Jewelry Store, Olde Town Marina & Convenience Store, Esso Gas Station, Music Shack, Cornerstone Kitchen and Design, Sat Sound, Gypsy Interiors, Bonbons Sweets & Notions, The Bay, Olde Towne Liquor Store, Schakload Chocolate Factory, Straw & Androsia and many more.
According to Mr. Buckner, the organisation has other developers who have come onboard in partnership.
Just recently, 21 of the Olde Towne’s luxury-styled apartments have been completed on its top third floor and about 34 offices on its second floor. Constructed by partners Jost Lange and Noreldin Siam, each apartment is tastefully decorated with Bosch appliances and equipment for easy living.
Explaining the channel of what he term ‘pro development’ Mr. Buckner said the development of Sandyport is one that involves several investors or developers.
Having sold a portion of the land to Jost Lange and his partners so that they could construct the building that now sits on that portion of the property, Mr. Buckner said there is other business partnerships like the one mentioned that have also resulted in the construction of other buildings on the property.
Other examples are the walk-in clinic, church and the soon-to-be completed gym areas that were arranged so that all involved parties could build on them.
“So Pro Development is one element that is a lovely element of the Olde Towne and it is one component of the larger whole,” he said. “Sandyport is a village of homes on the canal and at its centre, it has a village square which is what the Olde Towne is.”
Furthermore, Mr. Buckner said that there are several components that form the Olde Towne; there are shops opened to the public, a restaurant, another building called Island Lane, Olde Towne Marina Limited, Mt. Horeb Baptist, the gym, which is owned by a group of investors and the Sandyport Beaches Resort.
“The Sandyport Development Company is guiding the overall development and is setting down the master plan which we are all working together to bring everything to fruition,” he said.
Stating that with the existence of the mall, the Sandyport Development Company is endeavouring to accomplish a festive market place, Mall Director Neale Jones said that it is “the perfect place to experience fine dining and find exquisite gifts when shopping.”
He added: “It is important to note that this mall is open to everyone. This is not the gated part of the Sandyport, this is the part that is open to the public so that anybody who wish to see what is available here at the Olde Town Mall, can come and shop with ease.”
Stressing that people need to start thinking of Sandyport as a place where they could meet, have a good time and where they could come for evening enjoyment, Mr. Jones said the Olde Towne Mall should be observed as “a shopper- friendly domain” rather than somewhere they are not allowed to go, which is the usual thing with gated communities.
“In this respect, the mall is unique because the Olde Towne is right in the middle of the Sandyport Lagoon which is right in the middle of the Sandyport gated community supposedly,” he said, “but where everybody is able to enjoy the beauty of the canals and beach and this area is not restricted. In fact, it is only restricted by the cars basically.”
According to Mr. Jones, the boutiques are designed in historic Bahamian Georgian colonial architecture with a maundering Lagoon walk through tropical foliage and nautical boardwalks.
“This is a tranquil environment far removed from the hubbub of the city, a pedestrian only area that echoes Nassau’s heritage and it is reminiscent of a quieter time,” he said.
Live entertainment is available every afternoon from 2p.m. to 8p.m. from Tuesdays to Saturdays at the Starlight Stage – an open-air theatre with seating all around for spectators.
A special London double-decker bus has also been provided with free shuttle transportation from the various Cable Beach hotels to the Olde Towne Mall every hour from 10a.m. to 10p.m. and is being managed by the Taxi Union in partnership with Sandyport Development Co.
Excited about opening his businesses in the Olde Towne Mall, owner of McClure’s Humidor, Max McClure said the uniqueness of his store is that it is a humidor and bar lounge all in one.
“The whole idea is that I am a lover of cigars and I like nice drinks like whiskeys, ports, wines etc. so we have mixed all of these aspects together to form a store that will be comfortable for its customers.”
Additionally, Mr. McClure said he wanted to create a place that is inviting so that persons would want to come on in and sit in a very comfortable chair and relax themselves for about two hours or more of good time in the store.
“It is not a nightclub, we do not have loud music. It is just a nice quiet lounge,” he said. “I believe the country is lacking lounges because if you look at every nightclub facility they only have the music. But in here, this is a place where people can just sit down, talk amongst themselves and enjoy each other’s company in a bar and humidor atmosphere.”
Owners of the Miracles Day Spa and Beauty Salon, Thelma Miller and Sonia Heastie, agree that the store’s location is just fantastic.
Ms. Miller said that their customers come because they love the service and the beautiful atmosphere of the complete salon and spa. Their services include warm pampering from their hairstylist, nail technician, facial therapy, message and body treatments, body wraps, and waxing and cosmetic services.
Her partner Sonia Heastie who is also a message therapist and esthetician said, “I love working here, it is a nice change. When I thought about having a palace of my own, I didn’t want anything regular like the hustle and bustle of other shopping areas.
“When I saw that this location would offer my business the unique style that I wanted, we decided to come here. We have started, we still have a lot more to do and hopefully, it will all improve over a period of time.”
The salon and spa is opened on Sundays from 10a.m. to 6:30p.m.
Having been in the candle-making business for a few years, owner of the Mrs. B’s Candle Factory, Donna Bucher said that she once owned a little shop in town where she sold candles from the United States and Europe.
After requests from tourists to create more locally made goods, she came up with the idea to make authentically Bahamian souvenirs by using the coconut shell to make candles. She then sold them to other businesses and as her business grew, she closed the little shop in town and started manufacturing the candles from home. The coconut candles became very popular and then came the seashell soaps, glycerin soaps, bath salts, etc. Then Sandyport approached her about coming down in the new mall.
“Then I decided that it would be lovely to have a little boutique here as well as making the stuff here for the tourist to be able to come and see where it is being made,” she said. “I have a web site and a lot of the people visiting it, and mentioned that they would love to see how the candles were being made. Now I have started this and this is like my ultimate goal.”
Claudine Farrington, store manager, of Mrs. B’s Candle Factory said the store creates candles from oils in various delicious scents. The business exports the coconuts from the different islands in which they pour heavenly scented candle wax to form the unique souvenir gift. According to Farrington, they get the straw plaits, which adorn the souvenir arrangements and centerpieces from straw vendors. They also sell decorative pillows, perfume oils, body message oils and gift baskets.
By Lisa Albury, The Nassau Guardian
