Belgium to host world’s largest Zara store

Retail

Zara store in the Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier shopping centre in Hamburg, Germany. Credits: Inditex.

Inditex will open the world’s largest Zara store in Antwerp. The opening, scheduled for mid-2026, will be part of the Meir Corner project, an ambitious urban regeneration initiative that seeks to revitalise the city centre. Beyond a commercial expansion strategy, the opening aims to serve as a model of integration between retail and sustainable urban development in the current European context.

Located on the emblematic Meir street—Belgium’s busiest shopping street, with an estimated footfall of 200,000 pedestrians a week—Zara will reinforce its presence in a location where it has operated with another store since 1995. The new space will be part of a multifunctional urban ecosystem that will combine commerce, education, residences and sustainability, with the aim of transforming the commercial heart of the country’s second most populous city.

This change of location also represents a significant evolution in terms of concept, visibility and brand experience, aligning with the strategic shift that Inditex has been developing towards the consolidation of technologically advanced macro-stores in key locations, accompanied by the progressive closure of smaller or lower-performing stores.

An urban integration model for future of retail

The new flagship store will occupy an area of 14,500 square metres spread over three levels, exceeding the surface area of any other store of the brand worldwide. This new space will not only be a point of sale, but an urban logistics centre, a collection and return point for online orders and an experiential platform designed to strengthen the connection between customer and brand.

The project is part of Meir Corner, an initiative that seeks to become a benchmark for mixed and sustainable urban planning in Antwerp. Driven by the Karel de Grote university (KdG), in collaboration with local developers Urbicoon and the Tans family, local players with experience in sustainable projects, the complex seeks to revitalise the heart of the city with a balanced combination of academic, commercial and community functions.

The 43,000 square metre complex will combine retail on the ground floors, a university campus with capacity for 6,000 students and 650 employees on the upper levels, as well as interior courtyards, green areas and open spaces designed to encourage interaction between residents, students and visitors.

In addition, one of the fundamental pillars of the project will be the enhancement of local architectural heritage. The historic buildings integrated into the complex will be restored with heritage respect criteria, preserving their original facades and characteristic architectural styles, including examples of brutalism and post-war architecture.

This article was translated to English using an AI tool.

Aperturas

Bélgica

Inditex

Zara