Online Reporter
Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
Sam Levy’s Village is back to being the kind of destination people plan around, after a major refurbishment programme that has refreshed the landmark’s look and boosted activity at the popular Borrowdale centre.
Management’s reinvestment over the past 24 months—including upgraded public areas, improved presentation, new kiosks and a strengthened mix of entertainment—has translated into “a visible change” that customers and tenants say is being felt in day-to-day footfall and rental demand.
“For anyone who has not visited in the last 24 months, the invitation is simple: come back and see the change for yourself. The renewed energy is difficult to miss,” a source with knowledge of operations said.
One of the clearest signs of renewed confidence has been the flea market, which has regained a prominent place in the Village’s weekend drawcard. With its placement around the resurfaced Borrowdale Road parking area, the market is again drawing crowds who browse, trade and socialise.
“The flea market is not just an add-on. It is part of what makes the Village itself,” the source said.
The renovations have also helped extend the Village’s appeal beyond traditional shopping hours, as visitors increasingly stay on for restaurants, cinema and leisure.
“The buzz is back—people now move through the centre not just to shop, but to spend time, especially in the evening,” the source added.
Further improvements, including additional restaurant and entertainment upgrades, are expected as the centre continues to build on its post-renovation momentum.
This development comes after Sam Levy’s Village has undergone extensive renovations, introducing state-of-the-art movie theatres, new stores, upgraded infrastructure, and enhanced experiences tailored to shoppers from all walks of life, as it continues to reinforce its position as Zimbabwe’s premier shopping destination.
A shopping centre is ultimately defined not only by its buildings but by the people who animate them. At Sam Levy’s Village, some of the most familiar faces are members of its security team.
A number of guards have served the centre for many years, in some cases approaching or exceeding two decades, and their long tenure has made them part of the Village’s daily fabric.
When members of the security team were approached about their experience, the recurring message was one of satisfaction and loyalty.
Guards spoke positively about their working conditions, the way management looks after them and the pride they take in their work.
Some described their remuneration and treatment as being above what they understood to be common elsewhere in the security industry.
Sam Levy’s Village has always occupied a position larger than that of a conventional suburban shopping centre.
It is a meeting point for people from across Harare and beyond, a stop for visitors to the capital and a recognisable Zimbabwean landmark.
People arrive from different walks of life and for very different reasons: to shop, eat, watch a film, attend a meeting, browse the flea market, meet friends or show an overseas visitor one of the city’s best-known destinations.
The renewed investment of the last 24 months has strengthened that role. Rather than relying only on reputation or nostalgia, the Village is once again giving people tangible reasons to visit.
Further plans for entertainment, restaurants and improvements are expected to continue broadening the experience of the Village. That continuing programme is important because successful retail destinations can no longer depend on shopping alone. They must give people reasons to stay, socialise and return.
The recent transformation suggests that Sam Levy’s Village understands that shift. After decades of economic cycles, changing retail habits, difficult national conditions and the extraordinary disruption of the COVID-19 period, the endurance of the Village is itself notable.
