Latest news with #SandtonCity
News24
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
Galxboy takes on Africa's richest square mile with new flagship store
He's come a long way on his entrepreneurial journey. What began as a provocative slogan on a T-shirt in 2008 has transformed into a lifestyle brand worn by artists, influencers and fashion-forward youth across the continent and beyond. Acknowledged by the late AKA in his iconic lyrics for his contribution to the culture, Thatiso Dube has explosively redefined the success of streetwear. The creative brains behind the powerhouse brand Galxboy have officially opened his 14th store across the country. In support of the movement, the likes of Focalistic, Priddy Ugly, Lula Odiba, Hope Ramafalo, Juicy Jay and 25k The Plug are just some of the notable names that came out to launch the Sandton City store on Thursday, 15 May – the fashion brand's most prestigious store. Read more | BEHIND THE BRAND | 'Pitori to the world' - GalxBoy owner speaks about the ups and downs of creating a world-class brand Unlike the other stores, Thatiso admits that securing this 14th store was harder and it took about three years to close the deal. 'It's tough to get into one of the biggest malls in SA, it's very tough. It's not like we can just make a call. It doesn't matter who you are, you have to wait,' he tells Drum. 'Opening in the financial capital of South Africa is huge for the brand and our journey thus far. We're not just opening another store in another mall, we are creating a cultural destination, a space where fashion, identity and even ambition all collide. Galxboy has always stood for owning your truth, and what better place to embody that than the heart of Joburg's innovation and business scene, Sandton.' Despite the hassle, he adds that he will not stop pushing more from Africa's richest square mile. 'We're here to play the game; to bring more black people to this mall and make them look good. My aim is to make everyone look good, even though they're on a budget, that's the gap I'm filling. If we perform well, who knows? Maybe Sandton City mall management will tell move us to Diamond Walk.' There's no stopping Thatiso and his team anytime soon as he still plans to open two more stores in the country and even go beyond the South African borders, into Namibia, Swaziland, Lesotho and hopefully internationally, in the UK and Dubai. Read more | 9 stores and he's only just getting started, says GalxBoy founder Thatiso Dube 'We want to dress the whole household, from the baby to the grandfather,' he laughs. While he climbs the global fashion ladder, he's bringing smaller local fashion brands up with him. 'We have an incubator/online store that's helping smaller brands. We're basically housing smaller brands and helping them produce and distribute their products and school them on the background of running a brand because most brands have good designs and good marketing, but the back office is where they struggle. And if the back office is not good then you will not go far. That's what we're helping the youngsters with.' Through it all, his biggest highlight of his journey is being able to hire young people, give them hope and empower them. 'We're here to build young people who are serious about life,' he concludes.
Zawya
07-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Sandton City's rooftop transformation set to redefine African retail
The property business line in the Insurance and Asset Management (IAM) business unit of the Standard Bank Group, Liberty Two Degrees (L2D), a precinct focused retail-centred portfolio, aims to continue to position its malls as hubs that offer more than just the traditional shopping experience. To embrace the evolving needs of customers, L2D intends to create vibrant community hubs and lifestyle destinations, and is thus expanding the offering at Sandton City, as part of its strategic rooftop masterplan. In line with the L2D Interactive Spaces strategic building block, that aims to provide vibrant and diverse spaces and experiences within the malls, L2D's vision for Sandton City will ultimately unlock the rooftop to future development opportunities and a thriving potential for leisure, sport and dining in the heart of Africa's richest square mile. Through the strategic redevelopment of Sandton City's rooftop area, L2D's long-term master plan is designed to align with the evolving lifestyle needs of its increasingly diverse and experience-driven customer base. Melinda Isaacs, developments executive at L2D comments, 'The development of the Sandton City rooftop holds a pivotal opportunity in the mall's evolution. "We are not only introducing new lifestyle elements but reimagining how customers engage with our retail spaces, ensuring our malls are relevant and responsive to future-facing consumer behaviours. Through this opportunity, we aim to create multifaceted hubs that support societal needs. "In addition to creating interactive spaces, the aim of the rooftop activation is to create safe spaces through the provision of a safe urban space where visitors can increase their dwell times. This will also ensure that we continue to attract a broader demographic to the centre.' Rooftop lifestyle upgrade The initial implementation of Sandton City's rooftop initiative began with the installation of Net Set Padel, a premium padel centre located at entrance 8 with the indoor courts officially opened in March 2025. With sweeping 360-degree views across the Sandton skyline, the rooftop facility features four indoor and four padel outdoor courts built to international standards. L2D's vision for Sandton City's new rooftop activation is to ultimately feature a curated mix of recreation, entertainment, and convenience-led amenities to encourage longer dwell times and attract a broader market segment. 'This phased transformation forms part of Sandton City's broader 20-year spatial plan to remain at the forefront of international retail trends, while adapting to changing consumer expectations,' adds Isaacs. Elevated urban experience By converting underutilised rooftop space into a multifunctional destination, L2D is positioning Sandton City as an integrated urban node where retail, sport, dining and digital convenience intersect. Sandton City already houses over 375 world-class brands and experiences. With this rooftop transformation underway, the centre is set to further entrench its position as South Africa's leading hub of retail, entertainment, and curated lifestyle. All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
