One would not anticipate coming across a center for wellness, luxury, and a hub of art when traveling along the recently opened road from Bole to Bulbula.
Approximately eight minutes’ drive from Bole, in the Bole bulbula suburbs, just past Mariam Mazoria, a brand-new upscale shopping center and apartment building opened its doors to Addis residents.
Convenient roads have a way of bringing accessibility to areas that are considered remote from city centers. Most malls and venues that host various events in Addis are located in areas of the city that are considered accessible in terms of traffic, driving, and taxi availability.
Bole Bulbula is a part of the city that was peculiar for a long time but is now a thriving metropolis with new cafes, malls, and places to relax. It is located in the southern part of Addis Ababa and has been gaining popularity among residents in recent years.
Tina Belay, an art enthusiast who lives in Piassa, says she has frequented Refenti World since hearing about its first event.
“The location may be unfamiliar to me, but the gallery, in addition to the events they host, just draws me in,” Tina said. “I never expected to be around Bulbula so frequently, but here I am. It’s a great place to hang out.”
Refenti World, which opened its doors this past September on the eve of the Ethiopian New Year, is one of the malls that opened in this part of town. It promises to offer a variety of services to its clients, including co-working spaces, a wellness center, and a location for holding events, in addition to upscale shopping and fine dining.
The mall, which has two floors of parking, has already welcomed a number of shops from all over Addis, including store 251, Mamokacha, and many others. Gara Mart, a supermarket, is also about to open on top of a wellness center.
Refenti has hosted a number of artistic events in recent months, including Zoya, an art exhibition event for an emerging artist, Zion Yaynu, a kid’s carnival, and numerous exhibitions and bazaars.
The venues they use and the demographics they cater to vary depending on the events they host.
“I’ve lived in the area for a few years, and I was overjoyed when I heard about the mall,” Kalkidan Yohannes, a Bole Bulbula resident who was enjoying an afternoon at the mall’s café, said. She claims that they used to have to drive to Bole or Lebu to shop or find entertainment, but now they can just walk over.
The mall has also created a space for people who prefer co-working spaces to do their daily work, as well as office spaces for rent for businesses looking for a place to set up shop. However, it is more than just a shopping and entertainment destination.
In addition to the services they provide, they are working to complete their luxury apartments, which they hope to open soon.
Refenti representatives claim that their design incorporates three core values: thoughtful design, attention to detail, and relevant innovation. These values reflect the impact Refenti wishes to have on the lives of individuals and the community as a whole.
It was very convenient for the mall to be located in Bulbula, a relatively new and developing neighborhood with a majority of residential apartments and homes and less than 15 minutes’ drive from Bole International Airport.
It features a parking lot that can fit more than 200 cars for apartment residents and 100 spots for shoppers, as well as a roof-top swimming pool that covers more than 10,000 square meters of land. It also offers amenities like an international and complete wellness center with a modern gym and yoga center.
Refenti is part of a larger development by Pan African Real Estate in collaboration with Phoenix Properties, which has been in the real estate sector for over 10 years and primarily focuses on residential real estate projects.
It also collaborates with Somerset Residences, a subsidiary of Ascott Limited that operates over 700 properties in over 30 countries.
The Somerset residences’ architecture and interior design focus on creating a balanced environment that allows for inspiring interiors without compromising the daily functionality and workspace required by our guests.
The mall has welcomed a large number of visitors in the two months since it opened, and they intend to organize cutting-edge events that will make Bulbula more than just a place where most people live.
