WILLEMSTAD--International fashion retailer Zara has opened its largest store in the Caribbean at the Sambil shopping center in Curaçao, marking a major expansion of the island’s retail offering and adding another global brand to the growing commercial complex.
The new Zara spans more than 4,000 square meters and officially opened its doors at 11:00 a.m. Thursday. According to Sambil representative Jonathan Cohen, the opening follows 12 years of lobbying and negotiations aimed at bringing the Spanish fashion brand to Curaçao.
Beyond its size, the Curaçao location is also being positioned as one of Zara’s most modern stores in the region. Cohen said the interior design and overall concept are intended to serve as a blueprint for future Zara concept stores elsewhere in the Caribbean and potentially in other markets around the world.
The opening gives Curaçao the distinction of hosting the largest Zara location in the Caribbean and strengthens Sambil’s position as a destination for international retail brands.
Zara will not be the only major global retailer expanding at the shopping center this year.
Victoria’s Secret is expected to open a 400-square-meter store at Sambil in approximately two months, while footwear and lifestyle brand Cole Haan is also preparing to establish a location at the center.
Sambil is additionally in advanced negotiations with Decathlon, the international sporting goods retailer, about opening a store in Curaçao.
The arrival of the new brands reflects continued efforts to broaden Curaçao’s retail mix and attract internationally recognized companies to the island, giving residents and visitors access to brands that previously required travel abroad.
