EMEA Sustainable Returns Report
Bucharest, May 2026: Malaysian value retail chain MR.DIY has opened its first store in Bucharest, marking a new milestone in its expansion in Romania. The transaction was brokered by the Retail Agency team of Cushman & Wakefield Echinox, which advised the landlord on the lease agreement in GRAND ARENA Shopping Mall, a retail scheme currently undergoing an extensive repositioning process.
MR.DIY’s entry into GRAND ARENA comes as part of a broader strategy to strengthen its footprint in Romania, a market that has seen a steady influx of international retailers over recent years, despite the inflationary pressures that have impacted consumer spending.
Located in the southern part of Bucharest, GRAND ARENA Shopping Mall has been developed by EUROINVEST INTERMED, a company with Swiss capital, and has undergone a significant transformation in recent years. Supported by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox’s Retail Agency team, the scheme has substantially improved its tenant mix, attracting both international and local brands and reaching an occupancy rate close to 100%.
The opening of MR.DIY further reinforces GRAND ARENA’s repositioning as a dominant retail destination in its catchment area, providing a diversified offering tailored to local consumer demand.
MR.DIY is one of Asia’s leading home improvement and value retailers, with a strong presence across Southeast Asia and Europe. The brand is known for its extensive range of affordable products, spanning categories such as home essentials, DIY, decoration, stationery, and electronics accessories. Its expansion into Romania reflects the group’s long-term commitment to growing in Central and Eastern Europe.
Romania continues to stand out as an attractive retail destination, driven by solid consumption fundamentals and an active leasing market. In recent years, the local retail sector has demonstrated resilience, with a significant number of new international entrants choosing Romania as a growth market, even amid elevated inflation and cost pressures.
This dynamic has been supported by improving retail formats, ongoing repositioning of existing schemes, and the continued expansion of dominant shopping centers.
Alina Dima, Consultant Retail Agency, Cushman & Wakefield Echinox: “MR.DIY’s decision to open its first Bucharest store in GRAND ARENA reflects both the strength of the scheme’s repositioning and the continued attractiveness of the Romanian retail market. Romania is on the radar of international retailers, benefiting from solid demand fundamentals and opportunities to secure well-performing locations.
The leasing activity in projects such as GRAND ARENA highlights the increasing focus on carefully curated tenant mixes, aligned with evolving consumer needs. We are pleased to have supported this transaction and to continue working closely with the landlord in further strengthening the project’s market positioning.”
Catalin Secareanu, Business Development Manager, MR DIY: “We would like to thank Alina and the Cushman & Wakefield Echinox team for their professional approach and valuable involvement in facilitating the partnership between MR.DIY and Euroinvest Intermed at GRAND ARENA Shopping Mall. Our ambition is to bring the MR.DIY concept closer to as many customers as possible across Romania, and the start of this collaboration with EUROINVEST represents an excellent step forward in achieving this objective.”
