Death knell for Zimbabwe's departmental shops

The demand for partitioned lettable shops in Bulawayo's Central Business District (CBD) has reached unprecedented levels, with the Bulawayo City Council receiving a flood of applications for the conversion of buildings into smaller retail spaces. This surge in demand signals a significant shift in the city's retail landscape, as traditional department stores lose relevance in favor of smaller, more flexible shopping units.

In the past three months alone, the city council has received a staggering 552 applications for partitioned shops. The trend highlights the growing preference for lettable units over large, traditional department stores. Notably, even iconic retailers such as Meikles Departmental Store, Woolworths, and Haddon and Sly have been repurposed into partitioned spaces in response to the changing demands of the market.

One particularly ambitious application stands out: a request for 280 lettable units in a single building, a clear indication of the growing demand for smaller commercial spaces. However, according to a recent report from the Town Lands and Planning Committee, as of November 11, no such shops had been established at the proposed site. Instead, the building was being used for residential purposes.

The report, dated November 15, 2024, stated that the application for the 280 units, submitted by Anderson Chitewe on July 19, 2024, had been advertised, and no objections were received from adjacent property owners or municipal departments. Despite this, the council's site visit revealed that the proposed lettable units had not yet materialized.

During discussions on the matter, Councillor Mxolisi Mahlangu proposed that all lettable unit shop applications be deferred pending site visits. Mahlangu emphasized that the recently reviewed policy required each application to be considered on a case-by-case basis, with more detailed information needed before approval.

Fellow councillors, including Cllr Ashton Mhlanga, agreed with this approach, stressing that regularization fees should only be charged once the businesses had started operating without council approval. Cllr Adrian Moyo added that the role of councillors was to oversee the proper execution of these applications, and site visits were essential to ensure that developments met the necessary standards.

Council's director of town planning, Mr. Wisdom Siziba, clarified that a development permit had already been granted for the property in question, based on the previous policy. However, he noted that only new applications submitted after November 2024 would be subject to the newly reviewed conditions for partitioned shops.

The increasing popularity of partitioned shops reflects a broader trend in urban retail, with more buildings in the CBD being converted into smaller units to accommodate the growing demand for flexible, affordable commercial spaces. This shift is also driving business for the construction sector, with renovation projects and the supply of building materials creating new economic opportunities.

However, the rise of partitioned shops comes at the expense of traditional office spaces in the CBD. As businesses increasingly relocate to suburban offices or office parks, the demand for commercial office space in the heart of the city has been dwindling.

In a notable example, Edgars Stores Limited closed its prominent Sales House branch earlier this year, citing the need for a location better suited to its brand amid the challenges posed by illegal forex dealers and street vendors. The building has since been converted into 51 smaller outlets, further exemplifying the shift in retail dynamics within the city.

Most of the applications for partitioned shops have been granted permits, with businesses paying various monthly levies and, in some cases, a once-off regularization fee of US$1,000. As the trend continues to reshape Bulawayo's retail scene, the city council faces the challenge of balancing the needs of business owners with the city's urban planning objectives.