Gone are the days when giant departmental stores -- Whiteway Laidlaw, Army And Navy Store, to name a couple, dotted colonial Mumbai. One place that really qualifies as a departmental store in the fullest sense of the term in modern Mumbai is Asiatic.

Situated bang opposite Churchgate station, Asiatic meets the shopping requirements of the average suburban commuter. One can be spellbound by the vast array of merchandise on display at the store. Asiatic was established some twenty four years ago bythree businessmen Kamath, Shah and Gupta. It was indeed a smart investment, for there were hardly any players in the market at the time.

" It was to facilitate people who had to travel long distances to do their shopping that the store was set up. It is the one stop where you can pick up all the items of your need," says Ojas, the pleasant young CEO of Asiatic. The prime location of Asiatic is a great advantage for it gives the shop an excellent leverage over others. With its reasonable rates, the store has a very loyal client following. Bhupendra Shah, General Manager of Asiatic, feels, "It is the years of service that have helped the store build up its clientele".

Customer satisfaction being the keyword in today's market, Asiatic endorses the idea of providing value for money. A reliable name over the years, it has evolved as a trusted shopping complex. Having been with Asiatic for two decades, Shah says "It really feels great when customers remember their visits to the store as young kids and now come as adults and prospective buyers. We realise how well we have served them." With products ranging from clothing, bed linen, toys, decorative items, candles, jewelry, to crockery, one can pick up goods of one's choice from the range of affordable brands .

Asiatic does not believe in following contemporarytrends of putting up expensive hoardings and advertisements. "We have our customers acting as promotional agents. They speak for us," says Ojas. Asiatic is the one-stop shopping complex that is open for all and it hopes to keep its customers satisfied in the years to come .

Address:
Asiatic, Opposite Churchgate Station, Mumbai-400020;
Phone:283 4528,287 2815
Fax : 285 4681

By : Sharmistha Chatterjee
Photographer : Vinayak Prabhu