For over 30 years, the Kennedy Centre has been at the very heart of West Belfast, serving as a community hub as well as a shopping complex.
Anecdotally referred to by some as 'Curley's', the space is home to 50 stores, both multinational and local independent businesses. It has also announced major plans to expand the centre, and welcome new businesses to the Kennedy Centre team.
Speaking to Belfast Live about the community spirit surrounding the Kennedy Centre, John Jones said they are also looking ahead to the launch of a new Tim Hortons in the front car park.
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Joining the team in 2007, John now takes pride in his role as the centre's manager, and knows most customers on a first name basis.
"I came when Curley's was in operation, so it was a much smaller centre. Curley still owns the centre and is still very much invovled in the running of it," John added.
"In 2009, Sainsbury's bought Curley's, so I have seen the Kennedy Centre grow from 100,000 sq ft up to 330,000 sq ft. Sainsbury's has changed the whole centre and has drawn in a lot more multinationals, although we have always tried to retain a certain number of local independent retailers too, who are very important to the centre.
"For me, the biggest thing about the centre, and it always will be, the community. It's like a community hub. Some people come in here every day, some come in, sit in the mall and watch the world go by.
"We are heavily invovled in local schools, sports clubs and community centres, and have charity events happening here every single weekend. There's always something happening, and we pride ourselves on being a community base."
Welcoming a new drive-thru and sit-in Tim Hortons to the complex, John says they hope it will open to the public in December, bringing "something new" to the area.
"We're always looking at what we can do to enhance the customer's experience here, " John added.
"We do have plans to expand the leisure side of things upstairs in the centre because going forward, we see a shopping centre as much more than just shops, so we are keen to increase that leisure offer. We have also just signed a deal with O'Neill's who want to up-size on the ground floor and we are in for planning permission at the minute to put an extension onto the side of the building.
"That is a very positive move for us, which we are excited about. There really is something here for everybody and we are grateful to every single customer who passes through our doors.
"We have a special relationship with all of our traders here, even the traders get on amongst themselves. It would be no surprise to see a trader bringing a coffee to the store next to them. It is a very unique centre.
"It is family driven, and that comes from the owner. Curley and the Kennedy family have always placed a real emphasis on family, and you see that here."
The Kennedy Centre is in the midst of their Halloween festivities, with a Spooktacular event happening on Monday, October 31, After this, the team will quickly switch over to create a Christmas wonderland within the centre, ahead of Santa's arrival on November 18.
John said: "We will also be holding a Silent Santa event each Sunday, and that is for those children and young people with additional needs.
"Looking to the future, we are really excited. We are thriving and constantly looking to improve the centre, in whatever way possible. We are looking at the sustainability side of things too, and in the next few weeks will be installing the Belfast City Centre bike halt outside.
"We have to thank local representatives Ronan McLaughlin and Paul Maskey for their significant help on that. We hope it will go in within the next four weeks. That will give customers a sustainable way to link them to the city centre. We are looking at the future, and we are going to be extending super fast car charging points at the centre too.
"West Belfast to me, I am not from the area, but I am here 16 years now and I feel like the community is everything. I walk through the centre, and know my customers. I am proud of the centre and to me, it's the community which helps us to improve the Kennedy Centre. The people are the best in the world."
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