Inside Eastleigh mall that is set to topple Two Rivers as Kenya’s biggest

There are two kinds of shoppers who go to Eastleigh, Nairobi. One is the kind that cares about affordability and quality, and another that couldn't care less if they were buying knockoffs.

The first group somewhat loathes the chaos of Eastleigh, but goes there anyway, having realised that few to no shopping malls rival its pricing and some highly priced wares sold in the city centre are sold at a fraction of the cost in the populous shopping district.

The second group is made up of perennial customers. These are mostly traders who buy in volumes at wholesale prices to resell.

These buyers come from afar, including Tanzania to buy anything from sugar and cooking oil to curtain fabric and carpets.

Over the years, Eastleigh has become a throbbing, uncontrolled trading hub.

In a day, money in the millions of shillings changes hands in the numerous crowded stalls, the streets are jammed with people wandering through the chaos of boda bodas, cars and more merchandise.

You would imagine that investors would yearn for order, but it is the chaos that brings super profits and affords them heavy footfall, enviable by many of Nairobi’s struggling shopping malls.

Here cash rules for mobile money withdrawals. If you must pay using mobile money, then you will likely be asked to withdraw the cash from the nearby agent.

At the heart of this tumultuous market, stands one of East Africa’s biggest malls, Business Bay Square. It is set to open in early May 2023.

The Business Bay Square Mall (BBS) in Eastleigh boasts 130,000 square metres, making it one of the largest malls in East Africa.

Read the rest of the article in Business Daily here.