About a decade ago, this is how a weekend in Nakuru would look like.

Families would throng the city centre along Kenyatta Avenue to be able to satisfy their entertainment needs.

Those with cars would scramble to find parking along the busy Kenyatta Avenue specifically near the then Ukwala, Tuskys and Uchumi supermarkets.

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From there, they would then navigate by foot and start window shopping in the various supermarket outlets and maybe buy a few things.

Next, they would walk into one of the many eateries within town and have the traditional outing delicacy of chips, sausage and a cold fanta.

This would be climaxed by maybe taking a few photos at Nyayo Gardens and calling it a day.

While all this was happening in Nakuru, people always marvelled at the mega malls in Nairobi where people would go for purposes of all things enjoyment from hotels to shopping and entertainment.

The question then became; when would this spectacular marvel find its way to the then slowly developing town of Nakuru?

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At some point in 2009 a large area at the KFA roundabout was cordoned off and soon after, there were many speculations of what exactly was being built.

Three years down the line, the building which was built by C.K Patel was unveiled and in it was the first ever mall in Nakuru.

The building soon housed the prestigious Nakumatt supermarket and apart from that, it brought with it a never before seen phenomenon in Nakuru; an escalator.

Apart from the fact that it was the largest supermarket at the time, people thronged the mall just to be able to ride on the escalator, something that many before that had only been able to see in movies.

To many at the time, this was an experience they would cherish for the rest of their lives and with the passing of time of course the hype died a natural death.

A section of Golden life mall near Eveready factory in Nakuru.

Photo credit: Bret Sanya/Mtaa Wangu

Fast forward 12 years down the line, Nakuru has made huge milestones in the real estate space and the once prestigious west side mall now stands as a shadow in comparison to the likes of Golden Life Mall, Jennifer Riria Hub and Naivas Shopping along the Nakuru- Nairobi Highway.

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For many who have been long-time residents of Nakuru and have been there through its journey, they can surely say for a fact that the putting up of malls breathed life into the then town which in one way or another 10 years later developed Nakuru to a city.

sanyabret@gmail.com

The day Nakuru got its first mall

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Bret Sanya