Checkmating Big Retail
A fitting reply: The Joby’s Mall in Palakkad.
Local traders in Palakkad
town seem to be taking
the fight to the camp of
Big Retail. They are setting
up shop in Joby's Mall,
the 1.5-lakh sq.ft space, to
compete with big companies
who have entered the retail
trade in a big way.
Traders in the State have
been opposing Big Retail,
conducting many agitations
against giving sanction to monopoly
companies to enter
the retail sector as they fear
that thousands of local traders
and small entrepreneurs
will be forced out of business.
The Joby's Mall is meant as
an alternative to large-format
retail trade. Joby V. Chungath,
promoter of the mall
and vice-president of the Kerala
Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana
Samithi, says that nearly
100 traders will have their
shops in the mall.
They will sell their products
at prices less than in other
malls.
No rent or other establishment
costs are charged from
the traders. But they have to
give 15 per cent of the profit to
the promoter. This helps the
traders to start business without
buying space or taking it
on rent. So, the establishment
costs will be minimum. The
traders buy the products
from the local manufacturers
directly and sell it to the consumers
directly. So there is no
intermediary. This helps the
traders save considerable
sums as no commission is
paid. Thus, they can sell the
products at prices lower than
the market price. This also
protects the local traders
from being forced out of business.
The coming together of
the local traders to take up
such a project to provide a
better shopping experience in
Palakkad is unique and the
result of the principled stand
taken by the traders of the
State against opening up the
retail sector to the multinationals,
Mr. Chungath says.
The mall will definitely be
the first business venture of
its kind in Palakkad. It offers
the people a unique shopping
experience. A wide range of
world renowned brands of
clothing, footwear, jewellery
and electronic gadgets are all
under one roof.
Besides, there is a splendid
play park for kids, food courts
and a parking area for 200
vehicles.
A 700-seat convention centre
is coming up on one of the
five floors of the mall for holding
big conferences and marriage
functions. The centrally
air-conditioned mall has escalators
and lifts.
G. PRABHAKARAN
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Property Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Hyderabad
Kochi
Malabar
Thiruvananthapuram
