Shopping in Chennai

Chennai is supposedly India’s largest retail giant and although that can be taken with large dozes of salt, what cannot be argued upon is the Chennai fetish for stainless stell, Gold, and textiles. Very rarely do you see a place like Usman Road in Chennai, which is crowded throughout the year. If you thought that shopping at forty degrees in 120% humidity is enough to make anyone break into a sweat, you seriously underestimate the average Chennaiite’s appetite. The three favorite Tamil pasttimes: Eating, Shopping, and Watching movies, and not sure what the order should be.

Malls and the Molls

Spencer’s Plaza (Mount Road): An absolute must for people of all ages and all income-groups. Most people stroll in the air-conditioned environs just to escape the Chennai heat. You have almost all the big names in the business making a statement here. From imitation clothes to their original sisters, from subway to south-indian food, from jewellery to underwear, if there is one place in Chennai that has it all, this must be it! The mentionables are Landmark (for books, stationery, music, video, kiddie stuff and household accessories), WestSide, Pantaloons, Food World, Music World, Planet M, Nike, and Reebok. Has the biggest food mall in Chennai, which still falls short on weekends.

Chennai city central (Mylapore): Not as big as Spencers and nothing for at the low and middle-end level. Scores on ambience though and has all the big guys like LandMark, Lifestyle, Reid and Taylor. Houses Inox, a multiplex with five theatres. Ticket prices range from Rs 10 (thanks to a Government order) to Rs 120 (Government ceiling. Heavily crowded on weekends. Because it is close to the beach, you can shop in the afternoon, visit the beach in the evening, and then call it a day!

Shopper’s Stop (Chetpet): Clothes, jewellery shoes, perfumes, home appliances, you have it all here. No food mall though.

Ispahani: Apart from Coffee Day, Marry Brown, Sweet Chariot, Swarovski, Bose, and Archies, there is nothing much I can say about the place except that it is situated very well (Nungambakkam). Of course, if you are the designer type, check out Ritu Beri’s (or is it Kumar?) shop at the mall.

Abirami (Puraswalkam): Mostly frequented by the locals. No great (looking) crowds, and not reccoed unless you are staying close to it. Do not even bother to visit the multiplex. The theatres are among the worst-maintained in Chennai.

Alsa Mall (Egmore): A mall that lost out to Spencers. If you are close to Egmore, you may want to drop by.

Clothing

Men’s Clothing and accessories (Kya Farak Padta hai?):

T Nagar, Annanagar, Puraswalkam, Adyar, and Besant Nagar have a copy of all the branded stores. Just drop in and shop.
Pondy Bazaar has the middle to low-end budget textile showrooms. If you are not one for the madding crowds, stay miles away from Pondy Bazaar and T Nagar.

Women’s Clothing:

Saris and traditional indian wear: Nallis, Pothys, Chennai Silks, Kumarans, Naidu Hall (all T Nagar). Prices range from a few hundred to a few lakh ruppes.
Designer Sarees: Pithambari (Egmore)
Western: Pantaloons, Lifestyle, Shoppers Stop, Globus, and Westside.

Childrens Clothing:

Pondy bazaar has all the low-end shops and the malls have the branded stuff. Your take!

Jewellery

Although jewellery shops are omnipresent in Chennai, the best ones are at T-Nagar, Cathedral Road, and Puraswalkam. Notable brands: Thanga Maligai (T Nagar), Prince (T Nagar, Puraswalkam), Khazana (T Nagar, Cathedral Road), and Bapalals (Cathedral Road). There are also places which rent out authentic and fake jewellery in T Nagar – especially useful for budget-marriages.

Utensils and household items

If you are setting up a house and buying things in bulk, take a stroll in the narrow, humid, and dirty lanes of Sowcarpet. You get the best bargains here. I remember setting up an entire kitchen for a little less than Rs 3000, a few years back. From plastics to steel to ceramics, you get the best bargains here. A few hours of patience will save you a lot of money. Alternatively, you could visit any of the shops Pondy Bazaar or Saravana Stores in T Nagar. They are crowded through the year, and if you can brave the crowds, dust, heat, and humidity, you should get away with some fine budget shopping.

For high end shopping you have Lifestyle (Mylapore), Shopper’s Stop, Odyssey (Anna Nagar), and many more. When you have the money, why bother saving it?

Electronics

For all odd elecronic goods and when buying in bulk, the only place that I recco is Richie Street. Situated off Mount Road close to Devi theatre, this is paradise for people trying to customize their electronic devices at home. From CD covers to DVD players, there is nothing that you will not get here. I repeat, you will not get high-end stuff like Televisions and Washhing machines but for that odd electronic item, there is no place like this.

Pirated stuff

Burma bazaar situated close to the sea-line and close to Sowcarpet is where all the smuggled goods lie, if you have a penchant for those that is. Of course, the chances of getting duped are as common as you getting fleeced by a auto-rickshaw driver.

Furniture

Although most areas have their furniture outlets, the best place to shop and get bargains is Royapettah. This area is situated close to Cathedral road. If you know your wood from your steel, you will be able to buy goods from here for a steal. (sic)

Veggies

Koyambedu vegetable, fruit, and flower market: If you are planning to buy veggies in bulk and save up on your income, this is the place to be first thing in the morning. Read that as six o clock in the morning. Because the weather will not allow you to sleep late, it is not such a difficult thing after all.

Palamudir cholais (most major localities have one): The best thing about this place is that you pick up the veggies you want in separate polythene bags, and you get billed for the quantity you have tucked in.

Ooty Vegetables: Same as Palamudir Cholais except that they are on the more expensive side.
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