Evropeisky Shopping Center

 It is the mall with the largest number of stores in Russia. The IKEA Mega Malls are larger in terms of area: up to 250,000 sq meters, as compared with Evropeisky’s 180,000 square meters (2 million square feet). However, since there are hardly any large-format stores in Evropeisky the number of shops is much greater. According to Passport estimates, based upon the directories inside the centre, there are more than 300 units (some stores are still not yet open). The mall is also a milestone in Russian retail history since many Western brands are making their first foray into the Russian market, in this state-of-theart shopping centre. When the mall was designed, it was the intention not to copy all the other malls, and to try to 'raise the bar,' such as the fact that it offers indoor parking above the mall on the 5th and 6th floors (a Moscow first), as well as parking in the lower floors below the basement of the mall.

Evropeisky Mall is the only in-town shopping centre which has a supermarket. A competing mall across town, Atrium (Kurskaya train station), recently closed its supermarket to make way for a 'muchneeded' large casino. Other amenities not found in many other in-town centres include: a fitness club, movie theatre (Atrium does have one), and metro entrances feeding directly into the mall. There are also plenty of full-service restaurants and a large food court. Although the mall has not had its official ribbon cutting, word is out, and shoppers are starting to swarm to Moscow’s latest and greatest shopping centre. This clearly will soon become one of Moscow’s destinations of choice, especially during the seemingly endless winter.