Malls in Chennai Growing Strong

Big malls are the trend today. Retailers focus on attracting consumers by housing Multiplexes in these malls. Inox at Chennai City Centre has proved that movie watching can be taken to a whole new level. This also adds credit to shopping and other recreation activities. The consumer is promised with the best comfort in the theatre and quality snacks to munch during movie time. Similarly, there is an assortment of foodstuff to choose from. Thanks to a choice of coffee shops and restaurants. In addition to theatres and eat-outs, people can shop extravagantly at large malls which house an array of national and international brands in a range of products from cosmetics to jewellery and coolers to clothing.

In Chennai, an additional retail space of 81 lakh square feet spread over 20 malls has been slated for inauguration in the next three years as against the existing three malls spread across 8 lakh square feet. Retailers are targeting it on the growing cosmopolitan population of our city. International brands such as Body Shop will set foot in Chennai in the near future.

Realty majors such as Prestige Group, Shriram Properties and DLF are in the forefront of mall development in the city. Prestige has drawn up plans for a second Forum mall in Chennai’s artery, Mount Road, while completing the first Rs.350-crore Forum mall at Vadapalani in collaboration with the Vijaya Group. Sources say that it will be spread over 17 lakh square feet, featuring a seven-screen multiplex, over 100 shops, two department stores and a 1,40,000 square feet hypermarket. The mall is expected to operate in the first quarter of 2010.

There are many other projects in the pipeline. ‘Ampa Centre One’ will be giving Chennai a fully international shopping experience. It will house 6.5 lakh sq. ft. of food court, hyper market (by Spencer), 20-room hotel, fine-dining restaurants and the PVR Cinemas multiplex. It is expected that McDonald would open a 5,000 square feet outlet. Allied Housing & Development is planning a seven lakh square feet mall at Sirusseri on the Old Mahabalipuram Road, Chennai’s IT corridor.

The Ozone Group’s 14 lakh square feet ‘Ozone Mall’ is coming up at its integrated township Metro Zone in Anna Nagar. ‘River Side’, a jumbo mall at Karapakkam near Chennai, when completed in the fourth quarter of 2008, would take up 11 lakh square feet of built-up space, including a mammoth parking area, according to industry sources. The mall is being set up at a cost of Rs 500 crore.

Looks like malls are set to rock the retail stage and modernise the shopping experience of every Chennaite!