Shopping in Chennai
Chennairemains the chief retail industry and shopping centre inSouth India,with some of its suburbs serving as exclusive shopping districts. Since the formation of the city in the seventeenth century,George Townremains one of the chief commercial neighbourhood of the city. However, with the centuries passing, the central business district of the city started shifting towards the south ofFort St. Georgeand moving to its present location atGemini Circle.The city's retail industry is concentrated chiefly inT. Nagar,which is by far the largest shopping district ofIndia,generating more than twice the revenue ofConnaught PlaceinNew DelhiorLinking RoadinMumbai,even by conservative estimates.[1]
History
[edit]The first silk sari shops in the city appeared inGeorge Towntowards the end of the nineteenth century. These remained popular until about 1915, when new shops were opened inChintadripet,followed by shops near theParthasarathy templeinTriplicanein the following years. By the late 1930s, similar shops were opened near theKapaleeshwarar templeinMylapore.By this time, the Long Lake on the western peripheral region of the old city was drained out resulting in the formation ofT. Nagarextension from the existing neighborhood ofMambalamin 1923. The laying of suburban railway line fromEgmoretoKancheepuramin 1911 resulted in astation at Mambalam.In the 1950s, textile shops appeared in T. Nagar, which were soon followed by jewellery stores, eventually making the neighbourhood as a shopping destination of the present day.[2]
Retail industry
[edit]Chennai is the most importantgoldmarket in theSouth Indian regionwhich contributes to 45 percent of the total annual national offtake of 800 tonnes. T. Nagar accounts for about 70 to 80 percent of the gold sold in the city.[2]
According to the 2012 Cushman & Wakefield reportMain Streets Across the World,Khader Nawaz Khan Road atNungambakkamranked 10th position in the list of 'Top 10 Global Highest Retail Rental Growth Markets 2012', with 36.7 percent increase in rents.[3]
Notable shopping malls
[edit]| Name | Location | Year | Size | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spencer Plaza | Mount Road | 1863 | 250,000 sq ft (23,000 m2) | |
| Alsa Mall | Montieth Road,Egmore | 1998 | ||
| Abhirami Mega Mall | Purasawalkam | 2003 | ||
| Mayajaal | Kanathur,East Coast Road | 2006 | 30,000 sq ft (2,800 m2) | |
| Chennai Citi Centre | Dr.Radhakrishnan Salai,Mylapore | 2006 | 117,600 sq ft (10,930 m2) | |
| Ampa Skywalk | Poonamallee High Road,Aminjikarai | 2009 | 650,000 sq ft (60,000 m2) | |
| Express Avenue | Whites Road,Royapettah | 2010 | 1,500,000 sq ft (140,000 m2) | |
| Chandra Mall | Arcot road,Virugambakkam | 2011 | 143,130 sq ft (13,297 m2) | [4] |
| Vivira Mall | Navalur,OMR | 2011 | 300,000 sq ft (28,000 m2) | [5][6][7] |
| Spectrum Mall | Paper Mills Road,Perambur | 2011 | 160,000 sq ft (15,000 m2) | |
| Ramee Mall | Anna Salai,Teynampet | 2012 | 225,000 sq ft (20,900 m2) | [8] |
| Bergamo | Khader Nawaz Khan Road,Nungambakkam | 2012 | 40,000 sq ft (3,700 m2) | |
| Gold Souk Grandé Mall Chennai | GST Road,Vandalur | 2015 | 800,000 sq ft (74,000 m2) | [9][10] |
| Phoenix Market City (Chennai) | Velachery | 2013 | 2,400,000 sq ft (220,000 m2) | [11] |
| Forum Vijaya Mall | Arcot road, Vadapalani | 2013 | 700,000 sq ft (65,000 m2) | [12] |
| VR Chennai | Inner Ring Road,Anna Nagar West | 2018 | 2,000,000 sq ft (190,000 m2) | |
| The Marina Mall, Chennai | OMR Road,Egattur | 2019 | 550,000 sq ft (51,000 m2) | |
| BSR Mall | Thoraipakkam | 2020 | 140,000 sq ft (13,000 m2) | |
| Saravana Selvarathnam Ultimate Store Mall | Pallavaram | 2022 |
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^"India's biggest shopping district Theagaraya Nagar in Chennai to get a retail makeover".The Economic Times.7 February 2013.Retrieved9 February2013.
- ^abVarghese, Nina (29 August 2006)."T.Nagar: Shop till you drop, and then shop some more".Business Line.Chennai: The Hindu. Archived fromthe originalon 26 September 2012.Retrieved14 January2013.
- ^"Mumbai records maximum growth in retail rent globally".Samay Live.SamayLive.com. 19 November 2012. Archived fromthe originalon 26 November 2012.Retrieved28 December2012.
- ^"Chandra Mall".Chandrabuilders.in.Retrieved6 November2012.
- ^"Coromandel Plaza".Coromandel Plaza.Retrieved6 November2012.
- ^"Location – Map with Driving Distance".Coromandel Plaza. Archived fromthe originalon 24 August 2011.Retrieved14 September2011.
- ^"The AGS Cinemas at OMR Navalur Chennai – India Buzz Info".Inbuzz.info. 15 May 2011.Retrieved14 September2011.
- ^"rameemall".rameemall.Retrieved22 July2010.
- ^"Welcome to Gold Souk".Goldsoukindia.com.Retrieved22 July2010.
- ^"Gold Souk Grande Mall – Operational by first quarter of 2012Archived28 March 2012 at theWayback Machine",India Retailing
- ^"Market city | inside".Phoenixmarketcity.in. Archived fromthe originalon 6 March 2011.Retrieved22 July2010.
- ^"Forum".Potentialsemac.com.Retrieved6 November2012.
