Orbis Group opens Jurt family mall in Astana

Kazakhstani holding company Orbis Group has opened Jurt in Astana, the first mall of its kind in the group’s portfolio. The complex is at 3 Beibarys Sultan Street in the Saryarka district and has a total floor area of 17,000 square metres, including 9,000 square metres of leasable space.

Jurt was designed as a neighbourhood mall for everyday shopping and family outings. It brings together a fresh food market, places to eat and a children’s entertainment centre under one roof.

“Our team looked at different types of shopping and leisure centres around the world. That led us to the idea of a mall that meets several of a family’s everyday needs. We wanted residents and visitors to have a place in the neighbourhood where they could pick up fresh food, have lunch and spend time with their children in one visit. That’s especially important in Astana. The cold season is long, and people need comfortable places where they can shop and spend time with their families. It’s a new line of business for Orbis Group. We’ll see how the format works in practice and assess its financial performance before deciding whether to bring it to other regions of Kazakhstan,” said Farrukh Makhmudov, founder of Orbis Group.

The ground floor is mainly devoted to groceries and dining. The 1,200-square-metre Fresh Market sells fresh vegetables, fruit, herbs and other produce. A separate 600-square-metre section is dedicated to meat. The market is designed to accommodate farms, Kazakhstani producers and vendors of local goods.

Dining options range from quick-service outlets to sit-down restaurants. A food hall and a food court run along the perimeter of the ground floor, with outlets including KFC, Hardee’s, Dodo Pizza, NAVAT and Happy Cake. Visitors can also find a wide range of products from Kazakhstani producers, including Kazger-Qus, Aitas, Rodina, Narlen, Novy Den, DEP, Niko Milk, Gormolzavod Kokshetau, Astana-Onim, Petrovskoye Maslo, Kus&Vkus and Zenchenko.

Yondo and Baby Boom, two family entertainment centres, are opening on the floor above. Retailers on that floor include K jewelry&gifts and Megavision.

The mall has more than 100 spaces for lease to Kazakhstani brands, farms, producers and service businesses. Its surface car park has 350 spaces. Jurt’s location in a residential area and its public transport links make it accessible to people living nearby and to visitors from elsewhere in Astana.

Jurt takes its name from the Kazakh word жұрт, which evokes a place that brings people together. In a modern city, that can mean a place where people cross paths on everyday errands, meet and form new routines. The concept reflects a sense of community sustained across generations by family life, traditions and time spent together.

Jurt marks Orbis Group’s entry into the retail property sector. Orbis Development, a group subsidiary, led the project. Another group company, Orbis Construction, built the mall.