Shopping mall Dargov Košice

OD Dargov (Obchodný dom Dargov) is a shopping centre located at Štúrova 1 in Košice, Slovakia, on the southern edge of the historic city centre near Námestie osloboditeľov. The name commemorates the village of Dargov, which was destroyed during World War II; the building's facade originally carried a stylised letter 'D' logo. At the turn of the 1980s and 1990s there was a widely held belief that the department store was to be called 'Domino', but this was abandoned at the last moment because a similar name was already in use in Western Europe. For a period it also bore the name Otex. The five-storey building uses one basement level for food sales, with a ground floor and two upper floors dedicated to retail space, and the topmost level used for storage and administration. The total area of retail, office and storage space is 29,510 m². The complex has four above-ground floors. Deliveries are made via the basement, which has goods unloading areas, and four freight lifts distribute goods to the individual retail spaces. Public areas are served by escalators and a lift. The building is notable for its facade of large ribbon windows and sand-coloured ceramic tiles, chosen for their durability and ease of maintenance. The Prefa construction system was used. Distinctive towers (for staircases) at the edges of the building — one at the corner of Mojmírova and Štúrova streets, another on the southern side towards Štúrova street, and a third in the frontage towards Hlavná street — are positioned to increase the stability of the whole structure. The interior features granite and various ceramic tiles. Behind the main entrance is the main node with lifts and escalators, providing access to all floors. The extensive roof is flat and carries solar panels. Today OD Dargov operates as a multi-purpose shopping and leisure destination. Its official website promotes it as a place to 'indulge yourself in the heart of Košice', with shopping, dining and entertainment. Current attractions include Crazy Sity, described as a unique 'crazy town' on the 3rd floor; Zero Latency, a free-roam virtual reality experience; the largest children's play corner on the 3rd floor; Cool Bowling; a fitness centre on the 4th floor; and a range of shops, restaurants and cafés. Opening hours are Monday to Friday 9:00–19:00 and Saturday 9:00–15:00, closed on Sundays. The building is not a protected monument but lies within the Košice conservation area. It never underwent a comprehensive modernisation and reconstruction; some floors were partially rebuilt and others changed use. In 2018 the city of Košice considered renewing the public space around the department store, where a pavement was to be replaced with paving stones.

The site of today's OD Dargov was essentially empty until the early 19th century, forming the forefield of the city fortifications. In 1820 the area was built up with a single-storey house with one wing adjoining Štúrova street and another extending into today's inner courtyard. The building directly abutted the city walls. Extensive gardens stood here, and from the mid-19th century a single-storey town house. Two houses standing further south were demolished. The architect of the department store was František Antl from the State Design Institute in Brno. The contractor was Hutné stavby Košice. The foundation stone was laid on 18 August 1980. Construction work, however, only began in 1983, as the building project was prepared in 1981–1982. In addition, there was a dispute over what the southern edge of the city should look like; the Chief Architect's Office of the City of Košice and the company Otex were long unable to agree. The cost of building the department store was 158,207,000 Kčs. The ceremonial opening took place on 23 February 1987 in the presence of the chairman of the East Slovak Regional Committee, Ján Pirč, and the Minister of Trade of the Slovak Socialist Republic, Jaroslav Zelko. At the time of completion it was one of the largest department stores in Czechoslovakia and the largest in Slovakia. Around 1,600 people worked there. However, the building opened at a time when the creation of such stores no longer aroused as much public interest; on the contrary, modern centres were expected. Criticism was directed at the malfunctioning escalators and the size and appearance of the building. As with other large department stores in the country, there were expectations that goods long in short supply in domestic households would be available, which did not materialise. Despite its size, it could not satisfy the growing demand for consumer goods in the city. The house was not included in the Prior department store network but belonged to the company Otex, which sold textile goods there. Among other things, products of other companies were also sold. The four-storey department store, after completion, had sections dedicated to the sale of textiles, clothing, household goods, delicacies, and also housed a hairdresser, a post office, a buffet and a health centre. It was compared to the Kotva department store in Prague. In the 1990s and 21st century, advertising banners were often placed on the building's facade. These were later removed. For some time there was also a shop selling Asian goods, which later closed. Some spaces were also long-term abandoned. The department store never underwent comprehensive modernisation and reconstruction. Some floors were partially rebuilt, others changed their original use (from office to retail space and vice versa). In 2018 the city of Košice considered renewing the public space around the department store, where a pavement was to be replaced with paving stones. The building is not a protected monument, but it is located within the Košice conservation area. As with almost every public building constructed in the former Czechoslovakia, various works of art were installed here. These include a relief by ceramicist Imrich Vanek, a relief of a cornucopia above the staircase, and at the entrance from Štúrova street there is an artistic fountain by sculptor Mária Bartuszová entitled 'Klíčenie' (Germination).

• 2018

  City of Košice considers renewing public space around the department store.

• 1987

  Ceremonial opening on 23 February; at the time one of the largest department stores in Czechoslovakia and the largest in Slovakia.

• 1983

  Construction work begins after project preparation in 1981–1982.

• 1980

  Foundation stone of the department store laid on 18 August.

A long-established, centrally located shopping centre in Košice offering retail, dining and leisure under one roof, with a focus on family entertainment and experiences.

• Crazy Sity

  A unique 'crazy town' on the 3rd floor, described as the only one of its kind in Slovakia.

• Zero Latency

  Free-roam virtual reality experience, a leader in immersive entertainment with over 100 locations in more than 25 countries.

• Cool Bowling

  Bowling alley located in the shopping centre.

• Fitness centre Sport

  Fitness centre on the 4th floor.

• Children's play corner

  The largest children's play corner on the 3rd floor.

1. 1OD Dargov – Rozmaznávajte sa v srdciach Košíc.oddargov.sk
2. 2Shopping mall Dargov Košicewikidata.org
3. 3Dargov (obchodní dům)cs.wikipedia.org