News: India's first 'designer mall' to open in Ahmedabad

(BL 02/06/2006) Ahmedabad - Cash-rich Gujaratis, who were hitherto buying international brands at Singapore, Hong Kong or Dubai for festivals or weddings, would no longer have to go abroad: they can do so right in Ahmedabad at what is being billed as `India's first designer mall' - Gallops - scheduled to open here on June 10.

There are three malls in Ahmedabad already - and three more are coming up. But Gallops claims to be different - its USP will be the imported offering, with many options available under one roof.

"The difference between a mall and a designer mall is that the latter is theme-based and each of its showrooms will showcase its particular theme," said its promoter, N.G. Patel, who heads the Rs 200-crore N G Corporation, well-known for its construction business in Gujarat. He told Business Line that the Rs 100-crore mall has already attracted international lifestyle brands - more than 45 brands have set up shop at Gallops in a 3.5-lakh-sq-ft area, including 2.5-lakh-sq-ft shopping area, the rest being used for facilities.

The centrally-airconditioned, three-storey has a 12,000-sq-ft and its two-layer underground parking can accommodate some 750 four-wheelers.

Gallops will have four anchor stores such as Lifestyle, Max, Globus and Foot Mart. In all, the mall will offer more than 170 international and around 800 national brands.

The mall also has 12 outlets in its Food Court (about 35,000 sq ft) and will offer Indian, Continental and Mexican food.

About the group's recent foray into the Special Economic Zone (SEZ), Patel said 157 hectares of land had already been acquired in an SEZ, 26 km from Ahmedabad, for developing engineering and ancillary industries.

This was for the first time in India that a private sector company, N G Realty Ltd, would be offering these facilities in an SEZ for which both the Central and State Governments have granted approval.

It will be completed in the next 18 months, he added.