A new shopping mall has born in Chennai today. It’s the Chennai Citi Center. It has come up in Radhakrishnan Salai, next to Kalyani Hospital.
I was passing by that area with my friends and we wanted to check it out (or rather do some Window shopping). It’s just opened today at 1830 hrs and not much stores has opened up now at this point of time.
Adidas, Wills Lifestyle, Landmark (4th store in Chennai), Raymond, Florsheim, W, Food world, Helvitica (2nd store in Chennai), Lifestyle, Pepe Jeans, Le Chocolatier, Suxus are some of the brands that will open their stores shortly. Even offices spaces will come up along with the retail space.
Even INOX Cineplex is expected to come up shortly! INOX Leisure Ltd has signed up to open a five-screen multiplex here. It will have a total of around 1,200 seats. Yeah, they’ll all be in the same league as Mayajaal screens, Studio 5 or Six Degrees. But who cares? It’s the so called “small screens” that run to packed houses as they run newer Hindi or English flicks. This is great news for me as this Chennai Citi Center is near my house as Satyam cinemas.
First-themed complex in Chennai
Theme malls are the happening thing and attract crowds with offers of special services, discounts and designer labels.What works in a theme mall is the cluster of choices that are made available to the consumer.
Lifestyle is the anchor tenant for the retail section and Inox is the entertainment anchor tenant. So we’ll have a variety of stores and choices in front of us.
A French theme
When you pass by the mall, I am sure you won’t feel that you are in Chennai. The entrance looks like Arc De Triomphe! Don’t take my word for it. Even you’ll feel the same after catching a look at it. The entrance of Chennai Citi Centre and Arc De Triomphe strike a resemblance and looks alike. It’s not only the exteriors, even the interiors have some element of French Architecture. This is a refreshing change from the usual monotony of glass structures.
Fraser and Nag (a Dubai-based firm) and Eskay Design have done the architectural design for the mall. “The shopping mall will have a French theme, with both the exteriors and interiors designed based on French architecture”, claims the spokesman. And right so!
With Chennai Citi Centre, Spencer Plaza, Abirami mall and various other malls which is waiting to take off, Chennai is now the Mall city of India! I am looking forward to an European style of Shopping experience right here in Chennai.
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34 comments ↓
humm, google told me that,” The project is being executed by Chennai Citi Centre Holdings (P) Ltd, a company floated by non-resident Indians associated with Emirates Trading Agency (ETA).The complex will occupy 400,000 sq. ft, of which 200,000 sq. ft will be for the mall and 100,000 sq. ft each for car park and offices. The total project cost, including the cost of the land, is about Rs 90 crore.The complex will come up on 49 grounds of land (about 117,600 sq. ft). It will have a two-tier basement car parking facility that can accommodate 500 cars.According to the spokesman, Lifestyle, a retail chain, has signed up for 75,000 sq. ft of space; Inox Leisure Ltd for 35,000 sq. ft for a five-screen multiplex; and Landmark, a book store, for 25,000 sq. ft.Fraser and Nag, a Dubai-based firm of architects, has drawn up the concept for the themed mall, which is being executed by a Chennai architect, Eskay Design.
happy shopping !!
In delhi Lifestyle already has a mall an that too just 20 mins walk from my home… and 4 other malls comingup in the same region
Good info there multi
, by the way you are a Chennai dude?
hey ashwin where are u??? long ime no c
I am in Mumbai now.
^^^I guess you got many enemies Grudge. Or should i say many people got grudge on you
well he msut be one of those whom deep and grudge banned
For the first time I deleted a comment
By the way, I am back home in Chennai and it’s really weird to use FX after 15 days..
hi
v.gud
how was ur interview at FMS??
Went well.. but I am keeping my fingers crossed, chances are 50-50 only.
YES ITS VERY GOOD TO SEE QUITE A NUMBER OF NEW MALLS COMING UP IN CHENNAI.CHENNAI IS IN DESPERATE NEED FOR SOME WORLD CLASS INTERNATIONAL MALLS WITH MULTIPLEXES.DEMAND HERE IS WAY OVER WHATS LITTLE IS ON SUPPLY.THE ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS FOR THE PEOPLE ARE SOO LIMITED.PEOPLE ARE CRYING FOR THE NEW MALLS N MULTPLEXES TO OPEN SOON.I HOPE ALL DEVELOPERS ALL OVER INDIA ARE READING THIS.THERE IS AN ENORMOUS UNMET DEMAND FOR GOOD QUALIY ORGANISED RETAIL(MALLS) WITH ENTERTAINMENT(FOODCOURTS,MULTIPLEXES) IN CHENNAI.IT TRUELY HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR BEING THE MALL CAPITAL OF INDIA.ONLY NOTE WHEN DEVELOPING SUCH A PROJECT KINDLY DONT FORGET TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE PARKING TO COVER THE MALL,FOOD COURT AND MULTIPLEX ELSE THE EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE WOULD END UP BEING A SOUR ONE.
CHENNAI’S CURRENT MOVIE THEATRES ARE ALWAYS OVER CROWDED WITH EVERY CINEMA OWNER MINTING MONEY EVERY YEAR.YET NONE OF THE THEATERS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SATHYAM CINEMAS OFFER TRUELY STATE OF THE ART,WORLD CLASS AMBIENCE OR AMENITIES WHICH THEATRE GOERS OF TODAY DEMAND FOR THE PRICE THEY PAY.MOST OF THE THEATRES ARE OLD,DIRTY AND VERY CHEAP DEVOID OF ANY CLASS AND NO MONEY HAS BEEN PUT TOWARDS BRINGING THEM UP TO THE TIMES.ONE CANNOT EVEN WATCH AN ENGLISH MOVIE ANYWHERE IN THE CITY OTHER THAN SATHYAM CINEMAS.CHENNAI IS MOVIE MAD CITY BE IT TAMIL,ENGLISH,HINDI OR EVEN TELUGU AND MALYALAM YET IT DOES NOT HAVE EVEN A HANDFUL WELL BUILT,WELL RUN AND MAINTAINED MULTIPLEXES/CINEPLEXS ATALL.THE DEMAND FOR TRUELY WORLD CLASS MULTIPLEXES ESPECIALY INSIDE LARGE MALLS LIKE THE ONES YOU SEE IN DELHI AND GURGOAN IS ENORMOOOUS.IT HAS NOT BEEN TAPPED ATALL.TO BE A TRUELY WORLD CLASS CITY CHENNAI NEED LARGE MALLS WITH MULTIPLEXES IN MANY PARTS OF THE CITY TO PROVIDE THE ENTERTAINMENT AND LEISURE FOR THE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES WHO ARE LITERALLY STARVED OFF BY THERE ABSENCE. THE NEWS OF INOX LEISURE AND PVR CINEMAS SET TO ENTER CHENNAI SOON IS ONE OF GREAT JOY FOR ONE AND ALL IN THE CITY AND WE AWAIT THEIR OPENING.I HOPE THE LIKES OF SHRINGAR CINEMAS,ADLABS,FUN REPUBLIC,CINEMAX ETC ARE LOOKING SERIOUSLY INTO ENTERING IS MOST LUCRATIVE AND PRODUCTIVE MARKET WITH THEIR UP COMING PROJECTS AND WITH MALL BUILDERS.
Hi John Adams,
Hope cinemax, adlabs, etc..do debut.. waiting to check out cool flicks in “world class cinema experience”.
By the way,
MayaJaal is also a good multiplex. They run a mix of hindi, english and tamil flicks. The only problem is that it’s little far off from the city. Otherwise it’s good.
Hi Ashwin,
Hum Yees ….Mayajaal has been around for years now.It is nowhere near a PVR,ADLABS,FAME etc in comparison.It getting on now,it is over priced,too far from the city,and doesnt not offer the same international world-class ambience nor the state of the art technology that you would see in the major multiplexes ard other metros like Delhi,Mumbai and even Bangalore now.The experience of watching a movie in a mall is just fantastic and something else espcially if u have had the chance to go and catch a movie at the PVR Cinemas in Forum Mall Bangalore as i did a few months back, u would know what i am talking about much better.That Multiplex is huge,an amazing 11 Screens and the whole cineplex is like a 5 star hotel,the ambience reeks of class way ahead of even Sathyam Cinemas and the Forum Mall itself been really well planned retail hot spot especially when it comes to enormous parking the developers have dedicated around the mall for the customer convinience.In Chennai we still havent seen anything like that.It been a veeery slooow development probably the last among all the major metros to have malls with multiplexes.Thats frustrating for me and for all Chennaiates to be know as the last bunch to catch on with this boooming trend happening all over the country.We should have been if not the first a major mall market and multiplex player by now.This sadly,hasnt been happening untill now finally with the opening of the Chennai Citi Centre we have something to see at the end of the tunnel.Yet the city is way behind many other metros.We must grow fast now and catch up if we are going to be called as world class city and a prime entertainment destination in Asia.We must have atleast a dozen mall cum multiplexs before 2010 and everyone one of them should be well differentiable and planned well with most importantantly adequate parking.
Hi once again..
Excellent post man. Very informative..
I happened to be in B’lore some 2 week for IIM interview, the city is Über cool man. The malls at MG and brigade road is very uptown. I also happened to be Mumbai and Delhi as well
Pheonix mall is very uptown. Total branded stuffs which will be way too costly for me..
But what’s the ticket rate at PVR? We pay only around 50-70 to catch a flick at Satyam. So they demand more and also offer better service. Are we ready to pay rs. 250 a ticket? To be honest, I don’t want to pay more than rs. 60 for a Satyam like experience. What you say seems to be good (like world-class ambience nor the state of the art technology etc..) I can download a movie (for free) and watch it in my home.
And we are too conservation. We need to ban parties like PMK. Movies like Brokeback Mountain won’t get released here. I remember seeing in the ad that Satyam puts up, I saw it in the “coming soon” category. Now It’s gone. Movies get late in releasing here.
YES MOVIES ARE VERY LATE IN REALEASING IN CHENNAI ESPECIALLY GOOD HOLLYWOOD RELEASES.WHATS RUNNING NOW IN SATHYAM CINEMAS HAVE COME AND GONE IN PLACES LIKE INOX GARUDA AND PVR FORUM BANGALORE.THATS DEPRESSING TO SEE THAT WE,CHENNIATES ARE LEFT TO TAG ALONG BEHIND THE BANGALOREANS AND GET TO SEE THOSE MOVIES ONLY AFTER THEM.EVEN THOUGH THE CITY IS EVOLVING FAST WITH THE IT BOOOMING,THE CONSERVATIVE TAG(DIFFICULY TO REMOVE QUICKLY DUE TO THE NATURE OF PEOPLE MINDSET) STILL LOOMS HERE,GETS ATTACHED TO THE CITY FROM THE PAST,ESPECIALLY IN THE MINDS OF THE PEOPLE FROM THE NORTH,MAJOR DEVELOPERS FROM DELHI AND MUMBAI COME HERE ONLY AFTER EXPLORING BANGALORE.THEY FEEL BANGALOREANS ARE MORE FREE IN THOUGHT AND HAVE A BETTER OUTLOOK TOWARDS LIVING A LIFESTYLE,AND NOT STUCK UP.THATS SAAD FOR US AS CHENNAITES.CHENNAI SHOULD BE POSITIONED AS THE BEST CITY IN INDIA OF BOTH WORLDS EAST AND WEST AND TRUELY A HAPPENING CITY IN EVERY WAY FOR INVESTORS,TRAVELLERS AND INDUSTRY.INSPITE OF ALL,CHENNAI IS STILL MOVING FORWARD ALBEIT AT A SLOWER PACE TO BECOMING TRUELY WORLD CITY.HOWEVER THE CONSERVATIVE TAG ACTS AS A DFETERENT TO THE CITY’S ENORMOUS POTENTIAL AND GROWTH ESPECIALLY IN THE AREAS OF ENTERTAINMENT LIKE WORLD-CLASS COFFEE PUBS,RETAIL STORES,MULTIPLEX,AMUSEMENT THEME PARKS.WE LAG BEHING BANGALORE IN THESE AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT.WISH WE WERE BETTER BUT IN REALITY WE ARE NOT UP TO THAT.HOPE WE CAN CATCH UP SOON AND MAYBE SOMEDAY OVERTAKE THEM.THE TICKET AT PVR IS ABOUT THE SAME OR LESS THAN MAYAJAAL Rs.100-150.ONLY THE GOLD CLASS IS EXPENSIVE.THATS SOMETHING CHENNAI WONT SEE THE LIGHT OFF FOR A FEW YEARS.EVEN THE PVR COMING UP AT AMPA MALL WILL MOST PROBABLY HAVE ONLY CLASSIC AND EUROPA THEME MODELS.
Where the hell is Ampa Mall? I have heard about it, but dunno where it’s. Did you notice that Satyam is gonna open up in Vadapalani and Ponamalee Hign road. Also another building is sprouting up near the Music Academy. I think it’s gonna be a Mall or a Cinema theater.
Chennai is conservative that’s it. I like Chennai man. B’lore is too lonely. Take a scroll there it’s like a war place. Too calm and serene. (But that’s my opinion!). We have good firms in Chennai like the recent BMW, Nokia, Saint Gobain and Hyundai second plant, etc.. B’lore roads are like driving in hell. Roads are far better in Chennai (baring a few belts), coming with the elections and stuffs, we are getting to have good roads. Also thee is no Power/electricity problems unlike the “load shedding” concept in Mumbai and even b’lore.
We need to come out of the shell. It’s just a matter of time. By 2007, we’ll have really good cineplex with PVR, INOX,Satyam (at 3 locations), etc..
Hum Ampa Mall is coming up on the junction between Nelson Manickam Road and Ponamallee High Road in Aminjikarai.It is claimed to be the largest integrated mall in South India and it probably will be when it opens sometime in 2007 with aroung 6 lakh sq.ft thats including parking.But thats just for the momant.Bigger malls of over a million sq.ft are being planned in Bangalore and also later on in Chennai.The Ampa Mall or Ampa Center One as it will be called (www.ampacenterone.com)will house 7 screen PVR Cinemas.And your right Sathyam is coming up with 3 multiplexs but i m sure it wont come up anytime before 2008.One on KushalDas Property on Ponamallee High Road ,second in Vadapalani’s VijayaShesh Mahal property next to Green Park Hotel.Thats will also be in a large mall and finally also inside a mall on and intergrated mixed usage property coming up on Indian Express Estate on Mount Road.There has been however no press release yet atall on any of them.Should come out very soon.As per the Press Release they were supposed to launch Chennai first IMAX Theatre at Sathyam Premises in March 2006.They havent even started construction.Delay galore…. and they expect to launch end of 2006 or early 2007. Therefore whats certainity that the 3 properties would open to public by even 2008 is anybody guess tc n cya tom.If u have any news of any other upcoming malls on OMR kindly do blog and let me know as there are a few coming up there.
Sure John, I’ll go and check out new Malls/cinemas and post abt the same here.
And about the Ampa mall, that’s the one I was talking abt for the Satyam cinemas 2nd location in Chennai. So both PVR and Satyam in the same place. That’ll be interesting!
By the way, how did you find your way in here?
Humm No Ampa Mall will house PVR Cinemas.
Sathyam Cinemas will come up in another mall coming up on the Kushaldas Garden Property abt 1/2 km from Ampa.So the good news is that when both of them open hopefully by 2008 we should have two large malls on P.H High Road.Wouldnt that be fun.I heard that 2 malls are likely coming up on the IT Corridor one by Marg Constructions called Riverside Mall and another one by Mangalthirth called Coramandel Plaza.But i have no confirmed news on any of these.Kindly do check em and if u have any news on them blog meee..tc
Lol..so that’s wonderful news. We all have more than to window shopping. Got tired of Spencer Plaza.
SPENCERS IS A GREAT LARGE MALL OF CHENNAI.ITS BEEN AROUND FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER ABOUT 15 ODD YEARS.ITS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO BE NO DOUBTN THAT ESPECIALLY PHASE 3 (PHASE 1&2 LOOK LIKE THE THIRD WORLD SETUP)BUT THE MALL DEVELOPERS MANGALTHIRTH HAVENT FACTORED INTO THE EQUATION THE FUTURE TRENDS IN SHOPATAINMENT WITH REGARDS TO THIS PROPERTY.THEY SHOULD HAVE PROVIDED FOR SETTING UP ATLEAST 3 SCREEN MULTIPLEX IN PHASE 4 INSTEAD OF GIVING THE ENTIRE LOT OFF TO BORING OFFICE SPACE-CITIBANK.THIS LACK OF VISION MIGHT COST THEM QUITE A BIT EVENTUALLY ONCE ALL THE NEW MALLS WITH CINEMAS COME UP.I HOPE THEY HAVE SOMETHEN UP THEIR SLEEVES TO SUPRISE US ALL.WITHOUT A GOOD MULTIPLEX THE MALL DOESNT SEEM COMPLETE UNLESS YOUR BUILDING A HIGH END BOUTIQUE SHOPPING CENTRE IN SAY A PLACE LIKE ADYAR,NANDANAM BOAT CLUB OR CENTRAL NUNGAMBAKKAM.SPEAKING OF CENTRAL NUNGAMBAKKAM ANY NEWS ATALL REGARDING PANTALOONS CHENNAI CENTRAL MALL SLATTED TO BE COMING UP OPP TAJ CORAMANDEL????? CONSTRUCTION HASNT STARTED YEEET!!!!!
Yeah John, me too like this concept of having cinemas in malls. Yes, I have to admit that this is a new thing for me. I have never been to Abirami Mall. My brother say the place sucks, too costly for a place like that. Now did you see the ads? The tickets are gonna be priced a little cheaper. We are used to Satyam as it’s just a 15 mins walk (that is if you *want* to walk).
I never knew that Phase 4 is gonna come up. Citibank must have paid truck loads to make Magal Thrith agree to have a bank in a prime location like that. For many ppl Madras is Mount road and LIC. I just wonder as how they keep on adding more phase in that place… is the place that big? If you see from the Binny Road side, we have Conemmara Taj and some banks.
Did ya notice that the RadhaKrishnan salai is turning out to be shopper’s paradise? (We live just 2-3 min from the Stella Maris college.) From jewelers from Kuber to Khazana to Price to Jaipur Gems…, Hotels like Shola Sheraton to Savera to Woodlands to president to Nilgiri’s..,and shops like be: to GVK opticals to Nilgiri’s supermarket.., health cares like Kalyani hospital to Mohan’s ENT..,and restaurants like Sarvana Bhavan to Pizza hut to woodlands drive-in to Domino’s Pizza and not to forget the big thing…Chennai Citi Centre!
HUN ABIRAMI MALL IS A SORRY EXCUSE FOR A MALL.ITS CHEAP PLACE, VERY BADLY PLANNED APART FROM THE FOOD COUR.THERE ARE ONLY CORNER STORES SELLING FANCY ITEMS,NO REAL BRANDED STORES INSIDE APART FROM GLOBUS FACTORY OUTLET,VERY INADEQATE PARKING AND THERE NO POINT COMMENTING ON THE THEATRES THEY ARE RIGHT OUT OF THE DARK AGES TOO BIG,DINGY,POORLY MAINATAINED,EXTREMELY CHEAP AND RUNS ONLY TAMIL MOVIES.WORST PLACE TO VISIT.ANYONE FROM DELHI,MUMBAI OR BANGALORE WHO MIGHT VISIT THIS PLACE WOULD HAVE A BIG LAUGH AND CRY AND WALK OUT IMMEDIETLY.R.K SALAI DOES HAVE QUITE A FEW HOT STOPS.IT COULD HAVE MORE BRANDS LIKE A KFC OR MCDONALDS.
Hey john,
I think I want to have a new post abt the present and upcoming malls (or shopping centers) and cinemas here in Chennai. We have a quite a lot of info from comment 12. What ya say? Want to help me out?
SURE THING I WANT SOME PLACE ON THE WEB WHERE EVERYONE ESPECIALLY FROM OUR CITY CAN COME AND SHARE THEIR VIEWS,LIKES,DISLIKES AND FRUSTRATIONS ON THE SLOW EVOLUTION OF MALLS,MULTIPLEXES FOODCOURTS AND OTHER ENTERTAINMENTS HOT SPOTS IN CHENNAI AND IN GENERAL THE SHOPATAINMENT CULTURE EMERGING IN OUR GRAND OLE CITY.LETS HAVE A PLACE HERE WHERE ONE AND ALL CAN COME AND VOICE HIS OR HER VIEWS..ON ANYTHING RELATED TO THE ENTERTAINMENT REVOLUTION SET TO SWEEP THE CITYS FUTURE.
Cool! How shall we get started?
HUM I DONT KNOW I THOUGHT YOU WOULD HAVE AN IDEA.I M NEW HERE TO THIS BLOG THING.I FEEL WE MUST HAVE A PAGE COMPLETELY DEDICATED TO CHENNAI RETAIL EVOLUTION- MALLS AND ENTERTAINEMENT- MULTIPLEX,FOODCOURTS,AMUSEMENT PARKS ETC THAT FORM A PART OF THE MALL MODEL.IT SHOULD BE A PLACE IN THE WEB WHERE EVERYONE CAN COME AND POST THEIR VIEWS,COMMENTS,LIKES,DISLIKES,FRUSTRATIONS AND ANYTHING ELSE ATALL THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT THE UPCOMING MALLS,MULTIPLEX REVOLUTION IN CHENNAI.
Hmm.. I’ll post as soon as I have enough info
And you can see in the Madras Talkies category for more Chennai posts 
oh my god
iam missing chennai after reading about the latest in town.
great to hear about new malls opening up.if it wud succeed in chennai it can in any part of india since chennaites are value and cost consious.
Ohh.. hi vidh,
So where exactly you live now?
I have been here in Chennai for over 22 years but all I see is subtle change, we still are the same! I like it this way.
I could not find any McDonalds in Chennai…
if any body knows, Please let me
You can find Mcdonalds in the upcoming ampa mall.
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