Shopping in Chennai

Chennai remains the chief retail industry and shopping centre in South India, with some of its suburbs serving as exclusive shopping districts. Since the formation of the city in the seventeenth century, George Town remains 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 of Fort St. George and moving to its present location at Gemini Circle. The city's retail industry is concentrated chiefly in T. Nagar, which is by far the largest shopping district of India, generating more than twice the revenue of Connaught Place in New Delhi or Linking Road in Mumbai, even by conservative estimates.^[1]

History

The first silk sari shops in the city appeared in George Town towards the end of the nineteenth century. These remained popular until about 1915, when new shops were opened in Chintadripet, followed by shops near the Parthasarathy temple in Triplicane in the following years. By the late 1930s, similar shops were opened near the Kapaleeshwarar temple in Mylapore. By this time, the Long Lake on the western peripheral region of the old city was drained out resulting in the formation of T. Nagar extension from the existing neighborhood of Mambalam in 1923. The laying of suburban railway line from Egmore to Kancheepuram in 1911 resulted in a station 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

Chennai is the most important gold market in the South Indian region which 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 report Main Streets Across the World, Khader Nawaz Khan Road at Nungambakkam ranked 10th position in the list of 'Top 10 Global Highest Retail Rental Growth Markets 2012', with 36.7 percent increase in rents.^[3]

Shopping malls/Online shop

Name	Location	Year	Size	Source
Spencer Plaza	Mount Road	1863	250,000 sq ft (23,000 m^2)
Alsa Mall	Montieth Road, Egmore	1998
Abhirami Mega Mall	Purasawalkam	2003
Mayajaal	Kanathur, East Coast Road	2006	30,000 sq ft (2,800 m^2)
Chennai Citi Centre	Dr.Radhakrishnan Salai, Mylapore	2006	117,600 sq ft (10,930 m^2)
Ampa Skywalk	Poonamallee High Road, Aminjikarai	2009	650,000 sq ft (60,000 m^2)
Express Avenue	Whites Road, Royapettah	2010	1,500,000 sq ft (140,000 m^2)
Chandra Mall	Arcot road, Virugambakkam	2011	143,130 sq ft (13,297 m^2)	[4]
Coromandel Plaza	Navalur, OMR	2011	300,000 sq ft (28,000 m^2)	[5][6][7]
Spectrum Mall	Paper Mills Road, Perambur	2011	160,000 sq ft (15,000 m^2)
Ramee Mall	Anna Salai, Teynampet	2012	225,000 sq ft (20,900 m^2)	[8]
Bergamo	Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Nungambakkam	2012	40,000 sq ft (3,700 m^2)
Ten Square Mall	Inner Ring Road, Koyambedu	2012	150,000 sq ft (14,000 m^2)	[9]
The Laurel Mall	GST Road, Near MWC	2012	152,460 sq ft (14,164 m^2)	[10]
Gold Souk Grandé Mall Chennai	GST Road, Vandalur		800,000 sq ft (74,000 m^2)	[11][12]
Phoenix Market City (Chennai)	Velachery		2,400,000 sq ft (220,000 m^2)	[13]
MARG Junction Mall	OMR	2013	1,830,000 sq ft (170,000 m^2)	[14]
Skycity Mall				[15]
Forum Vijaya Mall	Arcot road, Vadapalani	2013	700,000 sq ft (65,000 m^2)	[16]
Marina Grand Mall	OMR, Sirusery	2012	540,000 sq ft (50,000 m^2)
The Grand Velachery	Velachery	2011	250,000 sq ft (23,000 m^2)
TVH Mall	Adyar	2012	500,000 sq ft (46,000 m^2)
Metrozone Mall	Anna Nagar (West)	2013	1,250,000 sq ft (116,000 m^2)
Grand Venus Mall	Perambur	2010	160,000 sq ft (15,000 m^2)

See also

• Economy of Chennai

References

1. "India's biggest shopping district Theagaraya Nagar in Chennai to get a retail makeover". The Economic Times. 7 February 2013. Retrieved 9 Feb 2013.
2. Varghese, Nina (29 August 2006). "T.Nagar: Shop till you drop, and then shop some more". Business Line. Chennai: The Hindu. Retrieved 14 Jan 2013.
3. "Mumbai records maximum growth in retail rent globally". Samay Live. SamayLive.com. 19 November 2012. Retrieved 2012-12-28.
4. "Chandra Mall". Chandrabuilders.in. Retrieved 2012-11-06.
5. "Coromandel Plaza". Coromandel Plaza. Retrieved 2012-11-06.
6. "Location - Map with Driving Distance". Coromandel Plaza. Retrieved 14 September 2011.
7. "The AGS Cinemas at OMR Navalur Chennai - India Buzz Info". Inbuzz.info. 15 May 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2011.
8. "rameemall". rameemall. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
9. OP Mall. tensquare.in.
10. The Laurel Mall. thelaurelmall.com
11. "Welcome to Gold Souk". Goldsoukindia.com. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
12. "Gold Souk Grande Mall - Operational by first quarter of 2012", India Retailing
13. "Market city | inside". Phoenixmarketcity.in. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
14. "Welcome to MARG Junction". Margjunction.com. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
15. "Skycity Mall". Dugar.in. Retrieved 2012-11-06.
16. "Forum". Potentialsemac.com. Retrieved 2012-11-06.