Sam Levy
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Sam Levy (9 October 1929 – 5 June 2012) was a Zimbabwean businessman and property developer best known for his construction of the Sam Levy's Village shopping mall in Borrowdale, a suburb of Harare. A self-made billionaire, he was one of the richest people in Zimbabwe at the time of his death.[1]
Levy was born to a Jewish family in Que Que (Kwekwe) on 9 October 1929. He attended the Prince Edward School in Salisbury (now Harare).[2]
Business ventures
In the 1960s, Levy founded and chaired Macey's Stores Limited, a large supermarket group; the chain's success was largely driven by undercutting its competitors, earning Levy the nickname of "The Cut-Price King."[2]
His first shopping centre had its origins in a September 1973 deal that saw Levy purchase Duly's car showroom on Harare's Angwa Street for US$1.5 million, reportedly making it Zimbabwe's most expensive property sale at the time. Redesigned in the style of an American shopping mall, the centre's amenities included a Macey's supermarket, a butcher shop, and a bakery. Eventually renamed Ximex Mall, the property was sold to Zimbabwe's National Social Security Authority (NSSA) in 2010.[2][3]
Levy's namesake shopping mall broke ground in the 1990s.[4] Its offerings now include a wide array of stores, multiple dining establishments, a cinema, an arcade, and a bowling alley opening onto outdoor walkways named for Levy's wife and children.[5][6][7][8] The architecture of the mall evokes English designs, including storefronts styled after country cottages and a clock tower reminiscent of Big Ben. Security guard uniforms were also formerly modeled on those of British police officers, though these uniforms have since been retired.[4][9]
Upon his death, Levy's son Isaacs took over the family business. Levy was posthumously honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Victor Night Awards and recognised by the UN's EMPRETEC programme as one of the most influential entrepreneurs in post-independence Zimbabwe.[4]
Political career
Levy successfully stood in the Salisbury council elections in 1975, being elected councillor for Ward 8 (the Harare suburb of Waterfalls).[10] He served as councillor until 1979.[11]