KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 20): The Exchange TRX's retail component in the Tun Razak Exchange, Kuala Lumpur is set to open its doors on Nov 29, according to a Lendlease press release on Wednesday.

Located within the Tun Razak Exchange's international financial district, The Exchange TRX is a joint-venture development between Lendlease and TRX City Sdn Bhd.

The statement added that visitors can expect a shopping, dining, leisure and entertainment destination in the retail precinct, with an occupancy rate of 95% and over 400 stores spread across 1.3 million sq ft of net lettable area. 

Lendlease Malaysia head of retail and The Exchange TRX project director Mitch Wilson said: “Our strong tenancy rate is a resounding vote of confidence given by leading international and local brands for the new retail concept that Lendlease is introducing to the market with The Exchange TRX. As Kuala Lumpur’s new social heart, The Exchange TRX disrupts the landscape with its socially immersive, experience-rich approach, reshaping the future of retail.” 

Among the retailers at The Exchange TRX include South Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster, French-Japanese lifestyle brand Maison Kitsuné and their associated coffee bar Café Kitsuné, Californian athleisure brand Alo Yoga, and Finnish home furnishings brand Marimekko.

The retail precinct will also see beauty brand Drunk Elephant's first brick-and-mortar store globally. In addition, The Exchange TRX's Beauty Galleria will feature beauty brands such as Swiss skincare brand La Prairie and French cosmetics house Guerlain — both set to open their first stand-alone boutiques in Malaysia at The Exchange TRX.

There will also be new dining experiences in the retail precinct, including Singapore’s Tipsy Flamingo and Amazonas, a Latin American rooftop restaurant by the Kenny Hills Hospitality Group.

One of the anchor tenants of The Exchange TRX is Seibu, one of the biggest department stores in Japan, whose presence spans four levels and takes up over 250,000 sq ft. This will be the first Seibu department store in Malaysia, carrying over 400 brands, of which more than 100 are new-to-market brands, and the lowest floor will be a premium Japanese food hall.

There will also be a 10-acre (4.05-hectare) rooftop park atop the retail component. The TRX City Park is accessible to the public, and features cascading greenery, children's play areas, water features and shaded enclaves. 

Wilson added: "The modern retail experience must consider its impact on stakeholders. Being the social component of an international financial district (the Tun Razak Exchange), we have created communal spaces within The Exchange TRX that will hopefully serve as a catalyst for an ideas-driven economy, culminating in the TRX City Park — the largest rooftop public park to be opened in Kuala Lumpur in recent times.”