Good practice:

OPEN MALL IN RURAL AREAS' SMALL TOWNS

The Open Mall initiative have been in place for several years in Greece at big cities aiming at upgrading shopping areas with the consent of shopkeepers and the help of the Municipality. Center rennovation, technological upgrades (wifi, infokiosks, smart lightening, etc.), visual interventions are among the activities included in the creation of an Open Mall. In rural areas with natural and cultural attractions aim to bring visitors in the small town market to buy unique, local products, and needed goods of high quality at low prices. The municipality of Amyntaio transforms the city center of Amyntaio town creating a promising economic and social environment for SMEs and VSEs that do not address only locals but also (potential) visitors' needs. Open Mall is the participatory creation of an attractive market for all visitors of the broader area whose primary interest is the natural and cultural wealth of the area, but never considered spending money in local retails shops: Over 90 retail companies agreed to participate in the action, launching a new era of cooperationamong municipality, society and entrepreneurship community. This will be done through a set of cohesive and interrelated interventions that aim at upgrading the functionality and aesthetics of the public space and organizing economic activity by adopting and using also smart city applications within the intervention zone. Complementarities and synergies with open malls in neighboring areas are considered.

The amount of resources is around 1.500.000 euros to finance all interventions required in public space, including smart applications (Wi-Fi, info kiosks etc.) and rennovation of shop front of retail companies located in open mall. Open mall can cause extra investments in the broader area.

Since it is a new on going initiative for the whole Greece, the evidence of "success" for now, is the high number of proposals submitted for funding and the unanimous adoption and participation by SMEs and VSEs in small cities (“centers” of rural areas). Preparation phased showed that businesses see open mall as an initiative that besides increasing the target market itself can attract and mobilize funds / investments in other sectors and areas; thus increasing sustainability of development.

During the preparation phase it was difficult for all engaged entities (public authorities, municipality, business support organizations, SMEs, citizens, private investors )to share & formulate a common vision of the open mall and the interaction with visitors and neighbouring rural and urban areas

The Open Mall is a good practice that supports a specific approach for the support of rural areas retail. Creating attracting towns / small cities that act as centers or gates to rural areas, promising for citizens, visitors, and investors is a challenge that serves general sustainability of development and social cohesion. A network of open malls located in strategic positions in a region can serve a much broader area than initially designed. Open malls can also be supportive to regions in transition and become poles of innovative retail and other sectors SMEs. Open malls must be part of broader plan that will couple such efforts with entrepreneurship support actions, innovation hubs, large investments and sustainable tourism to be long term initiatives with permanent results. Therefore, with small differentiations can be transferred to most rural areas in Europe, especially since rural areas must be redesigned in terms of population and jobs creation, investments & ervices offered.