Its globally renowned name ‘The Pearl City of India’ makes Hyderabad a true shopping hub. And the delectable variety of cuisines it has to offer makes this city a must-visit destination for visitors, especially for foreigners. So, utilising the global recognition of the City of Nizams, major real estate developers have set about the task of enhancing the retail potential of this vibrant city.
Shopping activity
The development of Maheshwari Megaventures Ltd.’s MPM Mall, which is strategically located at Abids area of Hyderabad, was launched in 2001. It is popularly known as the first shopping mall in Andhra Pradesh, and excites over 10,000 customers every day. The 1,80,000 square feet mall renders superb facilities for shopping, entertainment and dining, and features a fine blend of architecture and building services that was planned when shopping malls had just begun to come up in other parts of the country. “MPM Mall is managed by an expert team with several years of proficiency in mall management, and carries the distinction of being India’s first ISO 9001:2000 certified shopping mall,” shares Ashish Malpani, executive director, Maheshwari Megaventures Limited.
Its full-height (six-floor) atrium, spacious corridors, U-shaped building design and well-organised staff services collectively ensure clear visibility of all retail brands from the lobby, convenient movement across the mall and a hassle-free shopping experience. All floors are connected with capsule lifts with well-appointed operators for any assistance. A public address system and a large TV screen (8ft x 6ft) keep shoppers informed of ongoing offers and promotions in various stores. “An interesting feature in the mall’s lobby is a gigantic ship called ‘MPM Cruiser’ with a shopping arcade. If one wants a feel of the Titanic or a place to relax at while shopping, the deck of MPM Cruiser is the place to be on,” says Malpani. Ample parking space, valet services, a help desk, store directory, PCOs, and auto stand are other customer-friendly features of the property. The complex is equipped with a well-organised security team, electronic surveillance and fire fighting equipment.
The anchor store of the mall is Big Bazaar, which reportedly draws shoppers from across the state for its wide product range and value for money propositions. Sharing the retail experience of the city, Atul Takle, head – corporate communications, Pantaloon Retail (India) Limited says, “As a market, Hyderabad is one city with excellent potential. We have total of five Big Bazaars in Hyderabad. Besides these five, we also have 10 Food Bazaars (five of these are within the Big Bazaars); two Pantaloons outlets, two Brand Factory outlets, one Central, and five eZones, among other formats.”
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Utilising the global recognition of the City of Nizams, major real estate developers have set about the task of enhancing the retail potential of this vibrant city.
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Besides Big Bazaar, MPM Mall has over thirty leading brands catering to various segments. Other prominent tenants in MPM are Fashion Planet, Archies, Bajaj Electronics, Planet M, Health & Glow, Reliance WebWorld & Java Green, McDonald’s, Turtle, Garlic, TQS etc. “MPM Mall is doing much better than expected; the shoppers are aspirational enough to loosen their wallets on a plethora of goods and services. Our retail experience in Hyderabad is excellent, resultant of which, in couple of months we are planning to open three more stores in different areas of the city,” underlines Vijayant Chhabra, executive director, Archies.
The other operational mall of the city is Hyderabad Central, which is located on Punjagutta road. It was launched in 2004 by Pantaloon Retail (India) Limited. The seamless mall is spread over four levels.
Level one is devoted for food and women’s merchandise, level two for men, level three for youth and level four for kidswear and home accessories, including a food court. PVR Cinemas is located on the top floor of the mall. An exclusive play area has also been designed keeping in mind safety and fun aspect.
GVK One is another operational mall of the city.
“GVK group has its headquarters in Hyderabad and so the group knows no better market than Hyderabad,” says P Raghuram, AGM – Retail Marketing, GVK Group. Its location, Banjara Hills, makes it one of the most alluring business destinations. It is a sprawling urban entertainment centre complex complete with multiplex, entertainment, shopping & food offering a complete and brand new shopping experience to Hyderabad. “Location is the single most alluring feature of the mall. The brand & trade mix of the mall and presence of all convenience to customer — from parking to retail experience — makes GVK One unique,” he says.
“GLA of the mall is approx 3.5 lakh square feet. Inox and Shoppers Stop are the anchor tenants. The large food court and fun zone are major footfall drivers. The brand mix constitutes premium and sub premium brands, and keeping in mind the shoppers’ taste, some local flavours have also been sprinkled on,” says Raghuram.
The other operational mall is Sanali Mall, which is in Abids area of the city.
Hyderabad at glance
Laad Bazar is the famous traditional market for pearls and jewellery. The major shopping destinations of the city are – Ameerpet, Begumpet, Secuderabad, Abids, Banjara Hills, Jubilee Parks, Panjagutta, Kothi, Kamla Nagar, Moula Ali, and Kushaiguda.
Looking forward
MPM Bonsai is an upcoming mall, which is being developed at Himayatnagar, the busiest shopping district of the city. It is expected to feature a hydraulic car park system for the first time in Hyderabad. “There are no other malls coming up in and around MPM Bonsai Mall, so competition is minimal,” assures Malpani.
The other projects in the pipeline in the city are Inorbit, Kshitij, NSL, Lanco, IJM Mall, Indu Mall, GVK Mall, The Village, and Hometown Mall.
“At present we don’t have any store in Hyderabad but in a couple of months’ time we will be kicking off our stores. Hyderabad is one of India’s most prosperous cities, and retailers cannot afford to not open stores here,” concludes Mark Ashman, CEO, Marks & Spencer Reliance India.
By Diwakar Kumar
