Westfield Centro celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Since its opening in 1996, the site has evolved from an initially pioneering shopping centre project into one of the largest shopping and leisure destinations in Germany. The centre currently comprises over 240 shops across two levels and has a total area of 250,000 square metres. Its positioning as a supra-regional flagship destination in the Ruhr area is characterised by a combination of well-known brands, specific store concepts, a diverse gastronomic offering, and numerous leisure and entertainment formats.
On 12 September 1996, the then CentrO opened on the site of the former Thyssen iron and rolling mill. The development of the Neue Mitte was conceived from the outset as a comprehensive area project, with today's Westfield Centro as its core. In addition to the shopping centre, the site includes the Promenade with its dining establishments, the Rudolf Weber-ARENA, the LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre, the CineStar, the HOUSE OF MAGIC, and Karls Erlebnis-Dorf. In the wider vicinity of the Neue Mitte, tourism and leisure offerings such as the Gasometer, the Metronom Theatre, SEA LIFE Oberhausen, Topgolf, and an adventure water park complement the portfolio. The City of Oberhausen described the then CentrO at its opening as a shopping and leisure paradise unique in Europe. This concept, established as early as the mid-1990s, is today considered a successful model for modern experience destinations.
Continuous Development and Diverse Offering
Retail continues to be the core of Westfield Centro. Nevertheless, the requirements for large shopping centres have changed significantly over the last three decades. The quantity of retail space is no longer the sole decisive factor; rather, a balanced mix of strong brands, gastronomy, leisure, and entertainment is crucial. Westfield Centro currently houses over 240 shops, including 47 food and beverage outlets. The offering includes anchor partners such as Peek & Cloppenburg Düsseldorf and Galeria, international brands like ZARA, H&M, Mango, Reserved, UNIQLO, New Yorker, BOSS, Michael Kors, or Tommy Hilfiger, as well as an extensive sportswear segment with Nike, Adidas, New Balance, JD Sports, Snipes, and Intersport. Global companies such as Apple or Sephora are also represented here. The brand mix is complemented by new and expanding companies making their market entry at Westfield Centro, including LOUNGE Underwear, CFAB, HI-LIFE, as well as brands launching in the fourth quarter: RevolutionRace, Legami, and Pureseoul. Several brands present their flagship formats, latest concepts, or have significantly expanded their spaces at Westfield Centro over the years, such as ZARA, JD Sports, New Yorker, or Rituals. Their stores are among the largest and most modern within their respective portfolios.
- —Reopening of New Yorker in August: enlargement by 2,200 to almost 3,100 square metres.
- —Launch of the approximately 900 square metre Nike store in April.
- —Opening of UNIQLO in March: first store in the URW portfolio in Germany and second in a German shopping centre.
- —Opening of the RESERVED Flagship Store at the end of 2025: 2,600 square metres of retail space across two floors.
Gastronomy and Attractiveness
In the gastronomy sector, the then CentrO implemented one of the first food courts in Germany with today's Coca-Cola Oase at its opening in 1996, an exceptional concept at the time. The Coca-Cola Oase now accommodates around 1,300 guests and is one of the largest food courts in Europe. Together with 15 restaurants on the Promenade, this establishes Westfield Centro as an attraction beyond mere shopping. Entertainment and leisure offerings such as the Rudolf Weber-ARENA with approximately 12,000 seats, one of the largest LEGOLAND® Discovery Centres in Germany, the CineStar, which will be modernised by July 2026, and Karls Erlebnis-Dorf, covering 46,000 square metres and opened in July, contribute to its attractiveness. General Manager Andreas Ulmer emphasises that continuous investment in the site, the active shaping of a unique mix of retail, gastronomy, and leisure, and the appeal of the Westfield brand underpin the destination's success. Thorsten Berg, Lord Mayor, noted that where steel was once produced, a shopping and leisure paradise emerged in the 1990s that attracts several million visitors annually and to this day stands for the transformation in Oberhausen.