Focus Estate Fund has appointed Nhood to manage specialty leasing across its Polish shopping centre portfolio, a move designed to generate additional income from vacant retail spaces. The Luxembourg-based real estate investor signed a one-year agreement on 5 June 2026, giving the company’s Poland team control over temporary lettings for 13 retail properties, including outdoor areas. This agreement covers a specific portion of the fund’s broader European footprint, comprising 13 shopping centres with a total gross leasable area of approximately 220,000 square meters. These assets span four countries, but the agreement with Nhood applies exclusively to the Polish market. This distinction is significant for investors tracking the fund’s strategy, as the remaining assets in other markets remain outside this specific mandate. The properties managed under the new contract include Sosnowiec Plaza, Rybnik Plaza, Ruda Slaska Plaza, Galeria Mosty, Galeria Sandecja, Turawa Park, Ferio Legnica, Galeria Sandomierz, Shopping Park Eden, and Galeria Awangarda.
Max Shkolnick, General Partner at Focus Estate Fund, described the partnership as a deliberate value-creation play. He stated that the company trusts Nhood with specialty leasing because a professional approach to temporary letting creates revenue streams and strengthens the centers’ appeal for both customers and retail brands. Dorota Suchodolska, Business Development Director at Nhood in Poland, noted that the decision to place the entire Polish portfolio under their management reflects growing confidence in the specialty leasing model. She said the team will focus on enhancing the appeal of the centres, generating additional revenue, and meeting the needs of potential retail brands.
The services provided go beyond conventional short-term lettings, encompassing pop-up locations, retail islands, kiosks, markets, and brand activations. A dedicated team led by Agnieszka Wronska will handle the operational marketing and short lease management for the properties. Wronska explained that the approach supports the property’s business objectives by increasing its appeal and competitiveness. By carefully selecting pop-up stands with unique offerings, themed fairs, and special events, the aim is to enrich the shopping centre’s offerings, attract new visitors, and strengthen the engagement of existing customers. This strategy ultimately aims to increase foot traffic and improve the market position of the assets.
This mandate adds to Nhood’s existing Specialty Leasing division, which grew 7% across Europe and Africa in 2025. The division now manages over 2,500 spaces across seven countries and works with 3,000 brands through a team of more than 40 specialists. This scale provides a credible operator behind the Focus Estate Fund mandate, allowing both companies to extract value from underused retail space without resorting to capital-intensive redevelopment.
Strategic real estate investments often require deep local knowledge to succeed, especially in markets where vacant properties represent lost opportunity. The partnership highlights the importance of adapting to changing consumer habits and finding creative solutions for empty storefronts. Warsaw draws growing investor interest in real estate as operators look for ways to maximize the potential of commercial assets. Similarly, high-profile transactions demonstrate the value of premium assets; for example, STRABAG buys Polish skyscraper for 150m euros, signaling confidence in the region’s commercial viability.
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