PUBLISHED : 1 Nov 2024 at 17:34
Robinson Lifestyle, under Central Retail, announces 2.5 Billion Baht Investment to Transform Shopping Center and Expand New Branches, Enhancing Experiences for Customers, Partners, and Communities
Robinson Lifestyle has announced a proactive initiative to enhance customer experiences and cater to diverse lifestyles. The company plans to transform its shopping centers across Thailand into comprehensive lifestyle hubs, guided by its “Lifestyle and Experiential Community” strategy, to meet the needs of all customer segments. This approach positions Robinson Lifestyle as a Complete Lifestyle Destination, offering a variety of destinations, such as Dining, Family, Sport, Pet, and Tourist, while bolstering Thailand’s economy and supporting sustainable growth.
Mr. Lertvit Pumipitak, President of Robinson Lifestyle under Central Retail, expressed the company’s dedication to transforming its shopping centers into vibrant community hubs, aiming to become customers’ top destination of choice. In response to evolving global lifestyle trends, the company is investing over 2.5 billion baht in a major renovation initiative. This project includes upgrades to branches in Kanchanaburi and Samut Prakan, as well as the opening of two new locations, all slated for completion within two years. Each site’s design is inspired by the distinctive cultural heritage of its location, modernised to offer a contemporary aesthetic while delivering immersive lifestyle experiences that encourage customers to enjoy a full day at the center.
To deliver a comprehensive experience that meets all customer needs, the pilot branches will be developed as large mixed-use projects encompassing various dimensions. These will include a shopping center, a semi-outdoor mall, a commercial strip mall, and a hotel. Key features include:
- Robinson Lifestyle Shopping Center: This center highlights new zoning concepts with renowned stores catering to current trends, making it a haven for fashion and food lovers.
- Urbanista: A collection of trendy fashion shops featuring popular Instagram brands such as Matchbox, With It, High School, Yuedpao, and other well-known names.
- Urban Street-Food: A food zone offering renowned local dishes, such as the legendary Phuket pork knuckle from a Michelin Star holder for five consecutive years, “Ros Niyom” chicken rice from Saraburi with a 70-year legacy, “Baan Saiyid” halal chicken biryani from Saraburi, and the famous “Pad Thai Je Tum” from Tha Maka, Kanchanaburi.
The company is collaborating with its affiliates and over 300 new brands to meet all lifestyle needs, providing customers with a one-stop experience for dining, shopping, and entertainment.
- Eat: A selection of popular restaurants is ready to serve all valued customers, including MK Restaurant, Bar B Q Plaza, The Pizza Company, Santa Fe, Sukishi, Fuji, Yayoi, Shinkanzen Sushi, Starbucks, After You, Swensen’s, and many more.
- Shop: Enjoy a diverse shopping experience that meets all customers’ needs, starting with Robinson Department Store, Supersports, Power Buy, Watson, BEAUTRIUM, OfficeMate, and B2S, and continuing with tech stores like IT City, Studio 7, Jaymart, Samsung, and Banana IT.
- Play: At Sunday Playland, a modern, premium indoor amusement park for children, kids can let their imaginations run wild while learning without limits. Echo offers game machines and karaoke rooms featuring the latest hits, perfect for daily hangouts. Joyliday and Let’s Play are spaces filled with various arcade games for endless fun. Additionally, SF Cinema and Major Cineplex, renowned theatres nationwide, are available, including special family and children’s cinemas.
Customer convenience is prioritised by making financial transactions easier, with services gathered from over 20 financial institutions (banks) and non-bank financial service providers.
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Semi-Outdoor Mall: A pet-friendly space for families and hangouts, built around the “For-Rest” concept, inspired by the region’s natural tourism appeal. The space integrates greenery, offering a semi-outdoor experience connected to the main shopping center. It includes:
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- The most comprehensive collection of pet products and services in the region, catering specifically to pet lovers.
- Language and music schools to boost children’s IQ and EQ development.
- Health & Wellness services tailored to the latest health trends of the new generation.
- Popular restaurants and cafés from around the country.
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Strip Mall: A two-storey commercial building with over 40 units located at the entrance of the shopping center. Designed for easy access, it features a wide range of shops and services from local entrepreneurs, including:
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- Food: Fast food and unique provincial bakeries, perfect for all-day dining.
- Health & Wellbeing: Beauty clinics, barber shops, alternative medicine, spas, and sports facilities.
- Education: Language schools, art schools, and maths academies to enhance children’s skills.
- Daily Life Service: Parcel delivery, credit services, and laundry services.
- Go Hotel: A premium design hotel integrated with the shopping center, providing customers with the ultimate blend of shopping and relaxation, making it the most complete lifestyle hub in the province.
One of the key factors contributing to the success of a shopping center is its “partners.” Robinson Lifestyle is committed to supporting its partners’ needs, using a Business Partnership approach for both large and small partners. This commitment includes comprehensive support such as:
- Financial & Funding Support: Acting as an intermediary to secure investors and business operators with expertise in various fields, helping partners achieve sustainable and stable growth.
- Business Management Support: Providing marketing consultation and performance analysis to help partners make more effective, targeted adjustments more quickly.
In addition to business goals, Robinson Lifestyle is dedicated to giving back to the community, aiming to improve quality of life across three key areas: education, economy, and the environment.
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- Creating spaces within shopping centers as Art & Culture Lifestyle hubs, fostering youth development by showcasing works from local artists.
- Collaborating with provincial chambers of commerce and government agencies to organise educational events that promote continuous learning opportunities. Examples include the Student Fun Fair at the Ratchaphruek branch, World Environment Week activities with the Office of Natural Resources and Environment of Samut Prakan Province, and traditional Thai arts performances in partnership with Bankanokwan Nadtasin in Saraburi Province.
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- Supporting SME growth within shopping centers through collaborative business planning and year-round marketing activities that stimulate local economic activity, benefiting business owners, creating employment, and generating income for the community, thus contributing to sustainable long-term economic growth.
- Environment
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- From 2017 to September 2024, Robinson Lifestyle installed solar rooftops at 26 branch locations, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 108,681 tons of CO₂—equivalent to planting over 150,000 trees.
- Responding to the rising use of electric vehicles (EVs) by installing 30 EV Charging Stations, with expansion plans starting at the Thalang branch and continuing nationwide.
In addition to its core values of prioritising customers, partners, and society, the organisation is committed to enhancing employee quality of life. Every team member is regarded as a crucial part of the company, with positive results stemming from a solid foundation. After gathering employee input, the “Life is Good, Vibe is Happy” project was launched to create a more enjoyable work environment. This initiative focuses on improving employee benefits, including:
- Renovating Robinson Lifestyle’s headquarters into an open space to foster a more relaxed work atmosphere, encouraging inspiration and happiness at work. Key improvements include:
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- Townhall & Mobile Working Space: Providing diverse workspaces for easier collaboration, idea-sharing, and productivity.
- Café & Pantry: A stylishly designed area offering refreshments, where employees can unwind during breaks.
- Relax & Entertainment Area: A space for relaxation featuring massage chairs and a pool table, allowing employees to socialise and share daily happiness.
- Increasing activities and benefits for holistic employee development and care, such as basic financial planning for new graduates, retirement planning, and skill-enhancing seminars by experts. Additionally, in-office sports competitions and other activities are provided.
All these initiatives are part of Robinson Lifestyle’s ongoing commitment to addressing the needs of customers, partners, society, and the organisation—priorities that Robinson Lifestyle has always emphasised.
“My work principle remains rooted in ‘Always Create the Best.’ While we may do well today, we must do even better tomorrow. This is the key to the continuous management of Robinson Lifestyle shopping centers. We aim to continuously modernise and enhance our centers to meet customer needs in all aspects. By collaborating with our affiliates, partners, and surrounding SMEs, we organise creative marketing events and cultivate an exciting atmosphere. Additionally, we are committed to employee development to build capacity and sustainable growth,” concluded Mr. Lertvit.
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