Marbell Center, the original shopping center in Marbella, reopens its doors after 30 years of closure

After three decades of neglect, the Marbell Centre has made its first steps towards reviving itself. Mayor Ángeles Muñoz cut the ribbon on a spectacular 1,600 m² Venus Homes store, making this the beginning of a complete urban transformation of the strategic site between Avenida Ricardo Soriano, the Paseo Marítimo and Plaza Ramón y Cajal.

There were more than 190 people in attendance, including a bullfighter Juan José Padilla and numerous local dignitaries, attended the inauguration of the first commercial space in the ambitious revival project led by businessman José Luis López, known as ‘El Turronero’. Muñoz sang the praises of the entrepreneurs behind Venus Homes, Elena Ni and Paco Ye, for what she called the “courage and commitment to Marbella” and described the reopening as “the rebirth of a historic building that belongs to all Marbellís”.

Venus Homes opens its first store

The new Venus Homes outlet, which required a €1 million investment and has created 14 permanent jobs, offers an all-in-one home and lifestyle concept: furniture, decoration, textiles, bathroom accessories, toys, gardening, hardware and Ubrique leather goods. Open seven days a week from 10am to 10pm, the store has also launched a €50 annual membership card that gives customers discounts of 15 to 35 per cent.

Elena Ni and Paco Yu, who have already run three successful stores with Luci Haiyan in Ubrique, Arcos de la Frontera, and Ubrique, said that joining the Marbell Centre was “a dream and challenge”. Despite being the last tenants to sign a lease, they became the first to open, a fact which was highlighted by ‘El Turronero’, who called it proof of their “extraordinary entrepreneurial spirit and desire to contribute to Marbella”.

Additional stores opening in 2026

The partial opening of the complex is just a prelude. The 20,000 m² complex is undergoing a comprehensive renovation that will deliver modern façades, new entrances, large-format operators, leisure areas and catering. The Marbell Centre should be finished by late 2025 or early 2026. This will make it a new social and economic hub for the entire city.

Marbella’s most iconic commercial icon has finally opened its doors again, thirty years after it closed.