From the Olomouc Prior, as of today, it is the Moritz Gallery

Olomouc - Merchants are beginning to feel cramped in Olomouc. This afternoon, a new shopping complex, Gallery Moritz, was opened in the city center, increasing the already above-average density of modern retail stores in Olomouc. Next year, an even larger shopping center, Šantovka, will open not far from the historic core of Olomouc.
     Rostislav Veselý from the real estate consulting firm Cushman & Wakefield (C&W) told ČTK today that there are 1009 square meters of modern retail space for every thousand residents of Olomouc. After the opening of Gallery Moritz, this number increased to approximately 1100 square meters, while the national average is 882 square meters per thousand residents in the Czech Republic. In the case of Olomouc, Veselý suggests that we can already talk about a saturated market.
     Development activities in retail in Olomouc are not slowing down, and the opening of the Šantovka center with 180 stores is planned for next autumn on the site of the former Milo factory. The density of retail spaces will then increase to 1550 m² per thousand residents of Olomouc, which is about double the current national average.
     “The center of Olomouc is among those where daily life has remained. And where there are visitors, there are also customers. I am convinced that after its opening, Gallery Moritz will become the main shopping destination in the city center,” believes Radovan Pilich from the development company Reality management, which prepared the Gallery Moritz project.
     The management of Gallery Moritz is primarily targeting residents and visitors of the center of Olomouc, who will be coming for occasional shopping. According to Pilich, large family shopping trips will remain the domain of shopping centers on the outskirts of Olomouc, as there are not enough parking spaces around Gallery Moritz. Nearby Olomouc has the Olympia shopping center, and on the city's outskirts are the shopping complexes Haná and Olomouc City.
Gallery Moritz was created by renovating the Prior department store and has 40 rental units across four floors. The retail area increased from 5500 m² to 8000. Of this, 6600 m² is for retail and the rest is for the shopping arcade. The renovation cost 150 million crowns.
     This afternoon, after opening, the Moritz department store was filled with several thousand people, as merchants had announced special discounts of up to several dozen percent in advance. The Euronics store, for example, was fully packed today, having reduced all its goods by ten percent. For Friday, Euronics at Gallery Moritz has prepared even bigger discounts, with selected items reduced by up to 50 percent. Due to the expected influx of customers, the management of Euronics decided to reinforce store security on Friday to prevent any potential scuffles.
     The Olomouc Prior was one of the most controversial buildings in the city center, built in two phases, the last of which was completed in 1982. The renovation began this February, and workers changed both the interior and exterior. The original building remained with only the skeleton and some technical facilities. The original panels were removed from the building's facade, and the new department store is more glassed in.
     Improvements were also made to the space between the department store and St. Maurice's Church, which was previously marred by an unsightly parking lot and waste disposal site. A relaxation zone was created here. “The new look of the shopping gallery and the renovation of the square by St. Maurice's Cathedral have at least partially redeemed one of the infamous historical stages in the city of Olomouc,” commented the mayor of Olomouc, Martin Novotný (ODS), on the renovation today.