Unicentro, Cúcuta

Unicentro Cúcuta is one of the principal shopping centres in the Colombian city of Cúcuta, located at the intersection of Avenida Libertadores and Avenida Canal Bogotá. It was inaugurated on 4 May 2007 and was developed by the construction firm Constructora Pedro Gómez y Cía., which remains its owner and operator. The mall has a total area of 56,307 m², of which 20,407 m² is commercial space, and it contains 121 stores, a multiplex cinema, a food court, various banking entities and 750 parking spaces. Its anchor store is Hipermercado Metro (formerly Carrefour in Colombia), and its slogan is "Un Mundo Sin Fronteras" (A World Without Borders). The mall's commercial mix includes national and international brands across fashion, footwear, sporting goods, leather accessories, telecommunications, furniture, optics, jewellery, bookstores and technology. The food court offers Italian, American, Colombian and Chinese cuisine, alongside traditional meat and chicken outlets, and international franchises such as Subway and McDonald's. Banking tenants include Bancolombia, Banco de Bogotá, Banco Caja Social, Davivienda and Colpatria. The mall also features entertainment options such as a casino, children's play areas and a cinema. Unicentro Cúcuta positions itself as a family-oriented destination for shopping, dining and leisure, with services including a loyalty card (Tarjeta Uniregalo), a digital platform (Unicentro A Un Click), and a range of customer services. The mall actively communicates with its audience through news, events and promotions, and maintains a website with information on stores, services, access routes and opening hours. It is a key retail landmark in the Norte de Santander department and serves the cross-border region with Venezuela.

The origins of Unicentro Cúcuta date back about 25 years before its opening, when former Cúcuta mayor Enrique Cuadros, an architect, acquired a large plot of land to build a residential development. The project could not be carried out for economic reasons. In 2005, the impending free trade agreement brought economic optimism to Cúcuta, as Venezuelan businessmen were building industries in the city to export to the United States tax-free, generating thousands of jobs. This phenomenon attracted national companies such as Pedro Gómez y Cía., which decided to build a shopping centre in the capital of Norte de Santander. Jairo Rincón was tasked with selecting the land, and he contacted former Norte de Santander governor Sergio Entrena to accompany him. Upon arriving in the city, they identified the plot owned by former mayor Enrique Cuadros as suitable, although they also visited other sites on the road to Pamplona and the road to the Venezuelan municipality of San Antonio del Táchira, among others. The two businessmen then travelled to Bogotá to negotiate with the former mayor; according to Jairo Rincón, the negotiation was completed in half an hour. Construction of the structure began in late April 2006 and the mall was inaugurated on 4 May 2007. The opening was attended by then Cúcuta mayor Ramiro Suárez Corzo, Norte de Santander governor Luis Miguel Morelli Navia, Bishop of Cúcuta Oscar Urbina, directors of the Cúcuta Chamber of Commerce, the governor of Táchira State (Venezuela), important local merchants who believed in the project, and various media outlets. The mall has a total area of 56,307 m², with 20,407 m² of commercial space, 121 stores, a multiplex cinema, a food court, various banking entities and 750 parking spaces. Its anchor store is Hipermercado Metro (formerly Carrefour in Colombia). The mall's slogan is "Un Mundo Sin Fronteras". In a later year, Cúcuta mayor Donamaris Ramírez-Paris Lobo announced that Constructora Pedro Gómez y Cía. had a project to expand the commercial complex, without giving further details. The mall continues to operate and serves as a major retail hub in the region.

• 2007

  Unicentro Cúcuta is inaugurated on 4 May.

• 2006

  Construction of the mall structure begins in late April.

• 2005

  Pedro Gómez y Cía. decides to build a shopping centre in Cúcuta; land selection and negotiation with former mayor Enrique Cuadros take place.

• Mayor Donamaris Ramírez-Paris Lobo announces a project by Constructora Pedro Gómez y Cía. to expand the mall.

Family-oriented shopping, dining and entertainment destination in Cúcuta, with a slogan "Un Mundo Sin Fronteras".

• Hipermercado Metro

  Anchor store, formerly Carrefour in Colombia.

• Multiplex cinema

  Cinema facility within the mall.

• Food court

  Offers Italian, American, Colombian and Chinese cuisine, plus international franchises like Subway and McDonald's.

• Casino

  Entertainment option within the mall.

• Children's play area

  Play area for children.

1. 1Inicio - Unicentro Cúcutaunicentrocucuta.com
2. 2Trabaje con Nosotros - Unicentro Cúcutaunicentrocucuta.com
3. 3Unicentro, Cúcuta - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Unicentro Cúcuta - Wikipedia (Spanish)es.wikipedia.org