Ülemiste Centre maintained its position as market leader even during a challenging economic year. According to Guido Pärnits, Director of Ülemiste Centre, the long-term success of the centre depends on how willing tenants are to invest in order to keep up with the times, even in a turbulent economic environment.
According to Guido Pärnits, one of the clear lessons of the year was that those retailers who dared to invest benefited the most. In 2025, approximately 6,000 square metres of retail space at Ülemiste Centre were renovated. Tenants in the children’s goods segment and in the entertainment sector expanded particularly successfully. “Those who went through renovations or added new services are seeing better results,” Pärnits emphasized. As an example, he brought up Trampolino, which in recent years has actively expanded and developed the centre’s entertainment sector with new concepts: “This is a signal to retailers – 2026 may be the last year when this can still be done under more favourable conditions, before retail picks up momentum again.”
Pärnits stressed that cooperation must be mutual, and that the role of the centre is to support, encourage and motivate tenants – especially during the post-crisis recovery period: “Every centre must notice its tenants and value their efforts. Ultimately, all of this is reflected in customer satisfaction and the overall success of the centre.”
The centre holds an annual Best Store competition to highlight companies whose contribution to the centre’s development has been significant. Last year, the Best Store title was awarded to the entertainment centre Trampolino – in addition to trampolines, its range of services includes escape rooms, laser games, and mini-bowling. Second place went to the outdoor and sports equipment store MatkaSport, and third place – to the jewellery store Swarovski.
According to Pärnits, a modern shopping centre is no longer just a row of stores. “Trampolino is an excellent example of how entertainment has become an integral part of modern shopping centres. They have focused on developing the centre’s entertainment sector by organising their own vibrant events, while also participating in events organised by the centre itself,” he noted.
Trampolino owner Toomas Kaares confirmed that the development of entertainment in shopping centres is becoming increasingly important, as today’s consumers are looking for comprehensive services: “Large and impressive amusements require, on the one hand, bold investments and, on the other hand, a large visitor base, which makes Ülemiste Centre an ideal location. At the same time, we focus not only on return on investment, but also on the vision and ambition to deliver world-class experiences.”
According to Kaares, a six-player VR Arena is being prepared for launch, where visitors will be able to explore virtual worlds, play with participants around the globe, and compete for real prizes. In the second half of the year, climbing towers up to eight metres high will be installed at the centre. “As Ülemiste expands, so do we. Trampolino is not just a tenant at Ülemiste, but rather a partner,” Kaares added.
Top 10 of the Best Store 2025 competition:
- Trampolino
- MatkaSport
- Swarovski
- Change Lingerie
- Lindex
- Gym!
- Skechers
- Seiklusmaa
- Ecco
- Eesti Optik
Points in the Best Store competition are collected throughout the year, and winners are determined based on more than ten different criteria, with service monitoring results being the decisive factor. Store turnover growth, active participation in the centre’s events and campaigns, and overall willingness to cooperate with the centre are also taken into account.
Photos (by Andres Raudjalg): Ülemiste_Uusaastagala_Andres_Raudjalg
