Shop till you drop at these Mumbai malls

Welcome to the world of malls and 'shoppertainment' , the new buzz word in town. With the onset of malls, the very experience of shopping has undergone a complete change in the last couple of years in Mumbai. Step into the world of an air-conditioned all-encompassing store, with valet parking facilities. Munch your time away on a burger or spend time at the video parlour. If you have a family with the most diverse interests you can think of, do not worry. If your husband does not enjoy shopping, he can spend time in one of the mini theaters, while you shop till you drop. Shopping has never been so enjoyable before. With increasing incomes, shopping at malls is one of the most preferred options available to the consumers of today. Offering an attractive combination of retail stores and entertainment facilities, the malls satisfy every whim of the die-hard shopper. The megalopolis of Mumbai, like the other cities of India, is under the onslaught of shopping malls. With retailers pumping in substantial capital for retail space development it is expected that shopping centers will make up for a large bulk of constructions in the city.

Mumbaikars have warmed to the idea of shopping malls. Shopper Shweta Raghavan says, "Malls have changed the very concept of shopping, making it a family event". The established names in the field are all set to expand their existing establishments. Crossroads is one of the biggest names in Mumbai, with an entertainment complex by the name of E-Zone, which boasts of a health club, food courts, shopping plaza and even a movie theatre. Crossroads hopes to set up similar shopping malls in the other metro cities such as Chennai, Calcutta and Delhi.

The Mumbai-based Hiranandani Group which owns the Haiko supermarket intends to set up a 3-lakh square foot entertainment complex. Some of the big players in the market have entered the mad race to set up malls. One of the reasons for the rapid mushrooming of shopping arcades all over the city of Mumbai has been the freeing of major chunks of idle industrial land in some of the prime locations of the city.

Shoppers prefer malls to the crowded streetside stores. Besides, a shopping mall is convenient as all products are available under one roof. The main reason for people taking to shopping at these places is the wide range of products available. "Where else can you get such a deadly combination" says Sandip Sahu, an advertising associate. "You can shop, eat and have fun." The middle class has become increasingly consumer savvy and the use of plastic money has ensured that consumers are not afraid to spend.

According to Nagpal, Manager - Operations, Shoppers Stop, "The idea of pampering oneself is the very essence of shopping. "

By : Sharmistha Chatterjee
Photographer : Vinayak Prabhu