The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Vijayawada emerges a major shopping hub

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Thursday, Jan 08, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Vijayawada emerges a major shopping hub

Retail giants have added another feather in the city’s cap by adding colour, variety and buzz

PHOTO:CH.VIJAYA BHASKAR

A woman is seen shopping with her child at a mall in Vijayawada. -

This festival season, the city promises a lot for shoppers as it emerges as the biggest shopping hub in south coastal Andhra with new malls, high-end textile showrooms and consumer goods companies arriving here amid huge publicity fanfare.

They bring with them a whole variety of items within the reach of all segments of shoppers – middle-level and high-end.

In the past two years, every big name in textiles, jewellery, cosmetics and consumer goods has arrived here. More are in the pipeline this year, promising to offer a much more pleasing shopping experience to people of all segments.

After a brief lull in the 1990s, the city is now reclaiming its status of a traditional textile hub. Many big names appeared on the city skyline in 2008 – RS Brothers, Chandana Grand, Kalaniketan, Twills, K-Lounge and Maanya in textiles and TBZ, Mussaddilal and Sridevi in the jewellery. These came up on Bandar Road with the trend started by M&M. Among the malls, well-known names like Big Bazaar, Spencers, Modern and Magna brought a new sheen to the city lifestyle habits.

In the 70s and 80s, shoppers poured into the city on a daily basis from villages and towns in Guntur, West Godavari and Krishna district rural. Their chief shopping destination at that time was Besant Road. Shoppers from towns and villages in nearby districts used to come here for a shopping spree. Big names like Chillapalli commanded a huge market. With other top players arriving on the scene, and almost all of them on one single road, it has brought about a transformation in the overall profile of the shopping scene in the city.

In the changed scenario, shopping is happening on a much bigger scale on Bandar Road when compared to Besant Road even as trade circles talk about a significant increase in the number of shoppers to the city. One good thing that has happened after the arrival of top showrooms is that a lot of variety including designer wear and jewellery is available for people in Vijayawada itself. It has eliminated the need for going to metro cities like Hyderabad and Chennai.

“It is a fact Bandar Road has become an attractive shopping destination. We are the first to start a big showroom here. More is expected to happen,” says Dinesh, managing director, M&M.

He points out that the economic slowdown has not hit Vijayawada in a big way, as two-tier and three-tier cities are largely unaffected.

Being a two-tier city, Vijayawada looks poised to become a more impressive shopping destination.

The New Year also brings good news for the city denizens with Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle and Aishwarya Silks expected to enter the scene sooner than later. Shoppers Stop is coming up on Ring Road, which is fast emerging as the second potential hub for top showrooms after Bandar Road. Spencers is also located on Ring Road.

Chillapalli Srinivas, managing partner, Chillapalli Nageswara Rao & Sons, says that newer segments of customers are visiting the city after the arrival of big showrooms. Generally, the festive season is abuzz from December 15 to January 15. “This year, we see a 50 per cent increase in business this festive season when compared to regular days. If there is no recession, it will have been 75 per cent jump in sales,” says Mr. Srinivas.

A very centrally located city, Vijayawada still attracts the most vibrant floating population from villages, towns and 3-tier cities in the surrounding coastal districts. Retail giants have added another feather in the city’s cap by adding colour, variety and buzz to shopping.

When textiles houses and malls do business in areas ranging from a few thousands to one lakh sq.ft., it will be a metro shopping experience for choosy customers. A comprehensive range of brands and products are offered in all segments of shopping - apparel, western outfits, designer wear, perfumes and accessories. - G. Ravikiran

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