After the opening of Primark on High Street - - officially the world’s biggest EVER fashion store, it may feel Birmingham has hit its shopping peak.
But there is still so much to look forward to in the future.
There are lots of plans to redevelop shopping centres in areas including Stirchley and Sutton Coldfield as well as further afield across the Midlands.
Primark has put us on the retail map but the region is set to become an even bigger shopping destination within the next few years.
Just check out the below.
House of Fraser, city centre
After being bought out by Sports Direct group last year, it has so far been business as usual - but this is on a short term basis.
Site owner Legal & General wants to turn the 'Rackhams buildings' between Temple Row and Corporation Street into a nine-storey mixed-use complex.
If given the go-ahead, the site would feature 60,000 sq ft of retail and leisure facilities in a shopping centre similar to The Mailbox.
The most exciting part is that it comes with a rooftop restaurant on the seventh floor complete with terrace.
Chris Wieszczycki, principal director at architecture practice TP Bennett which has designed the scheme, said: "Crowning the building will be the city's largest rooftop terrace and a restaurant offering magnificent views over St Philip's Square.
Simon Wilkes, from Legal & General, added: "As one of the best situated buildings in Birmingham, a reimagined Rackhams will help meet the growing demand for office space and create a new cluster of attractive food, drink, retail and leisure facilities right in the city's core.
"We have spoken to a wide range of stakeholders and received a very encouraging response to our proposals."
Watch this space!
Stirchley Retail Park
A stretch of the Pershore Road in Stirchley is set to become one of Birmingham's most vibrant centres in the next couple of years.
It's already well on its way thanks to the wealth of independent shops and cafes including Alicia's Bakehouse, JoJo Wood handicrafts and there's even a fudge shop here!
But the retail heavyweights will be moving in just round the corner of the nearby British Oak pub. Plans include a supermarket, gym, retail and a drive-through restaurant.
In November 2017 Seven Capital acquired the nine -acre development site on Hazelwell Lane and announced plans to turn it into a mixed-use development of residential and retail space.
Samuel Clark, development director at SevenCapital, said: "This site has languished for some time and given its location between Bournville, Selly Park, Moseley and Kings Heath the investment by SevenCapital will play a critical role, catalysing further gentrification of this important Birmingham suburb."
A Seven Capital spokeswoman told BirminghamLive: “SevenCapital has submitted an application for the site in Stirchley and it's currently being considered by the council. The application is for a mix of residential development alongside a supermarket, gym, retail and a drive-through.”
McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Village in Cannock
An incredible £160 million is being spent on a Bicester-style outlet village and leisure destination in Cannock.
The McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Village in Cannock (formerly Mill Green) will include retail and leisure space.
Developers are comparing it to Bicester Village, which boasts brands like Alexander McQueen, AllSaints, Superdry, Belstaff and Diesel.
Planners are promising it will be a “designer outlet village that looks and feels like no other – inspired by the very best of outlet shopping across Europe”.
Millions of pounds are being invested in landscaping and planting to reflect the ancient woodlands that surround the outlet village.
The complex, which is due to open in 2020, will span 285,000 sq ft of retail space across two phases. The development will become the Group’s 26th centre around the world and their seventh in the UK.
It will span a massive 30 acres across Cannock once fully complete.
Gracechurch Shopping Centre, Sutton Coldfield
There has been much local concern about the future of Gracechurch, following the announcement Marks and Spencer was closing in July.
But owners M&G has something big planned to make up for the loss and has hired 'global architects and masterplanners' Chapman Taylor.
The firm, which is responsible for the design of the St Pancras International Eurostar station refurbishment Heathrow’s Terminal 2 and 5’s retail section, Brent Cross shopping centre in London and MediaCityUK in Manchester, has been instructed to come up with ‘conceptual plans’ for Sutton’s town centre.
There are sure to be mega retail improvements for Sutton at long last.
One Stop Shopping Centre
Perry Barr's One Stop shopping centre has been earmarked for investment, especially as the area is the chosen location for the Commonwealth Games athletes village.
It could be remodelled to open it out onto the Walsall Road as part of improvements being made to public transport services.
Some high profiles brands have already opened in the centre such as Costco rival The Food Warehouse.
intu Merry Hill
Intu has been carrying out a £100 million overhaul of the Merry Hill centre, in Dudley, including revamping the bus station and signing deals with a string of new retailers.
Recent openings include Iceland, Footlocker, Sports Direct and B&M.
Work has also begun to transform the external facade.
Dan Murphy, regional centre manager at intu Merry Hill, said: "In the last year we’ve welcomed 20 new retailers to the centre, including huge new stores for Next and Primark...our focus is to attract even more great brands to our mall and this redevelopment is just one of the ways we can achieve that.”
The revamp will see a new a large format screen installed above the main entrance as well as energy-saving LED lights that can change the colour of the centre's exterior walls - in a bid to create "more of an occasion" place for shoppers.
City Centre South in Coventry
Proposals for this multi-million pound plan include restaurants, a cinema and bowling alley, a hotel, big brand department store and shops in an area the size of 10 football pitches.
The development will connect the redeveloped Broadgate through an opened up Hertford Street, through to the new boulevard and Friargate connecting to the railway station.
The appointment of a new tenant for a ‘flagship’ department store is still under negotiation.
Work on the £300m project, called City Centre South , is due to start in 2020 with the aim of completion by 2022.
