Rundle Mall has been named Australia’s Retail Precinct of the Year at the National Retail Awards.
The awards were announced by the National Retail Association (NRA) Friday 3 September 2021 in recognition of the best and brightest in Australian retail.
The Retail Precinct of the Year award honours shopping centres and precincts for leading the way in providing experiential and entertaining opportunities for customers.
The NRA judges were impressed with Rundle Mall’s continued efforts to provide the best possible experience to retailers and customers alike.
Rundle Mall Program Manager Nicola Smith said that in a challenging 12 months, Rundle Mall had attracted visitors and shoppers into the city with a program of COVID-safe events, activations and experiences ranging from the post-lockdown Black Friday sales weekend to The Plastic Bag Store as part of the Adelaide Festival, the booked out Urban Kitchen cooking demonstrations for Tasting Australia and the Sky Castle installation as part of Illuminate Adelaide.
These events were underpinned by a focus on place-making and marketing activities to deliver on Rundle Mall’s ‘expect it all’ brand promise whilst balancing public safety during the pandemic.
“Being named the best retail precinct in Australia is a fantastic achievement that recognises the effort that has gone in to attracting visitors and shoppers into the city and providing them with unique experiences that can’t be found anywhere else,” Ms Smith said.
Rundle Place Centre Manager Mandy Beresford said the marketing expertise and creativity of Rundle Mall in developing partnerships and experiences delivered flow-through benefits to centres and their tenants.
“To have an entity representing and advocating for the overall interests of the Precinct transcends what any one individual retailer or centre owner can achieve,” she said.
Nike Rundle Mall Store Manager Mike Hawkins commended Rundle Mall for providing valuable support that enabled retailers to trade successfully.
“Our ability to provide an engaging and safe retail experience for our customers during our peak trading periods of 2020 directly mirrors the endeavours of those at Rundle Mall and their passionate focus towards precinct, retailer and consumer connection,” he said.
Rundle Mall is managed by the Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA), a subsidiary of the City of Adelaide.
AEDA Chair Nikki Govan said the award was well deserved after a year of significant effort to support retailers and property owners within the Rundle Mall Precinct.
“The Rundle Mall program plays an important role in AEDA’s focus on stimulating economic growth across the city,” Ms Govan said.
Acting Lord Mayor Mary Couros said earning national recognition for Rundle Mall was a tremendous achievement, particularly amidst the challenges of the pandemic.
“Rundle Mall is more than a retail precinct, it’s the retail heart of Adelaide loved by generations of South Australians,” said the Acting Lord Mayor.
“The Rundle Mall team has successfully increased visitation, attracted new brands and delivered economic benefits for property owners, traders and the city as a whole during a global pandemic and that is an incredible achievement worthy of recognition.”
