Gift packaging
Panache is a one-stop-shop for all your decorations, gift items and packaging needs as well as a host of other fine items which can turn any occasion-whether it be a wedding, a birthday, a festival or just a family affair into a joyous celebration. Their products are made of the finest materials and handcrafted with the utmost care and commitment. We pride ourselves in our exclusivity. The items we offer are uniquely crafted for a one-time occasion and are not available at other retail outlets. You can even place your order online.
Panache
#165, 9th cross, 1st stage, Indiranagar
Ph: 4148 7575
web: www.panacheindia.co.in
Sundays holiday
Time: 10.30am-6 30pm
Ever Exotic
A gifting store that allows you to purchase on the Internet or the phone. For delivery of flowers, cakes and gifts in Bangalore, call Ever Exotic. Gifts include gold fish earrings for Rs 175, a zardosi rakhi for Rs 199, pillar candles for Rs 750, A Parker vector 3 pen set for Rs 850 and a white metal dragon set for Rs 650 among others.
Ever Exotic
28 Castle Street
Ashok Nagar
Ph: 4112 8044, 98450 00467
E-mail: contact@everexotic.com
Web: www.everexotic.com
If you’re seeking a pleasant shopping experience at the Supermarket all you have to do is bear in mind certain basic etiquette tips. Follow these and you’ll create a satisfying shopping experience for yourself and your fellow shoppers.
1) Never abandon your cart to look for items further down the aisle.
2) Keep the cart in front of you at all times. If you are looking for items on the left side of the aisle, you must remain on the left side of the aisle (not the center and not the right side).
3) Never lose your temper at elderly people, disabled people, or children. When dealing with these fellow shoppers maintain the utmost respect and exercise a great deal of patience.
4) Do not bring your children to the store if they do not know how to behave appropriately in public or if you are unable to effectively control their behaviour.
5) Refrain from giving the right-away to shoppers in the main aisle. When you come to the end of aisle three, stop, look both ways, and, if there is no oncoming traffic, proceed in an orderly fashion.
6) When you are through checking out, take your cart with you, and don’t leave it there for the person behind you to push out of the way.
Bangalore is known for its silk and sarees, sandalwood, antique pieces and jewellery shops. To get your hands on these, the places to visit are MG Road, Brigade Road and Commercial Street. Earlier KG Road and Chikpet area were known for all things clothes. The Mysore Silk Saree Udyog on Kamaraj Road is a popular haven besides Deepam, Vijayalakshmi and Nalli Silks on MG Road. All these stores have stuff to suit all pockets.
For jewellery, nothing to beat the stores on Commercial Street which have a long history in the trade. Some of the more famous ones include Ganjam Nagappa & Sons and C Krishnaiah Chetty & Sons. For readymade and customised clothes, nothing to beat Fazal & Sons and the narrow bylanes of Russel Market. For seconds stores, Marathahalli is the best. However, now every other booming neighbourhood is home to a few seconds outlets like HSR Layout and Koramangala. Antique stores are spread all over central Bangalore. From Ashok Nagar to MG Road to Indiranagar and each store revels in a certain uniqueness. From an ancient cot to a door built during the Vijayanagara times, entering these antique shops is like entering into a time machine and stepping into a distant, glorious past. Stores like Sangeeta, E-Zone, Pai, Viveks, Girias showcase all kinds of electronic goods. And then, there are many bylanes off Brigade Road that are home to many. Just be aware that there are many fakes being sold out there. If you find the price ridiculously cheap, don’t buy.
Shopping streets
Avenue Road: Anything from money lending to clothes to consumer durables, it’s all available out here. The watchword: bargain, bargain.
Infantry Road: This is home to shops selling furniture, electrical appliances, home décor items and Kashmiri arts and crafts.
SP Road: This is where you can buy all the parts needed to assemble a computer or buy a branded system. Expect the best prices. Go around different shops and pick the one that suits your budget best.
Chikpet: Expect quality clothes but at a fixed price. However, there are some shops that display the ‘Fixed price’ and still allow you to bargain. This usually happens if you buy more than two pieces.
Commissariat Road
The country’s hottest new retail spot is Bangalore’s Commissariat Road, which has a daily gross of Rs 45 million. Spaces are very limited here, but there is nearby Vittal Mallya Road to accommodate any spillage. Commissariat Road in Bangalore has seen higher sales than any other place in the country, significantly higher than NCRs Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road with Rs 36 million and Bombay’s Malad Link Road at Rs 29 million, according to The Economic Times. One reason for its success is its central location.
(Continued from previous post)
The scale of the Bangalore retail revolution can be gauged by the amount of space that’s been coming up. Two years ago, the city had 14 malls of over 100,000 sq ft. Real estate consultants reckon that there will be 3.6 million sq ft of new malls by end-2007. What started out with swanky malls like Forum, has today developed into a shopping experience at par with the best in the world. Bangalore shopping is more sophisticated and is streets ahead of any other part of urban India, including Gurgaon. This is the city that has everything from giant supermarkets to a chain of neighbourhood vegetable stores and even exclusive speciality chains. No wonder it’s become a hub of retail. Forget the marble-floored malls, the department stores are as eclectic. To buy grocery, do you walk into one of the 50-odd FoodWorlds that operate here, or just order in from the FabMall next door? Is Monday 2 Sunday your best bet or good old Nilgiri’s? Stirring up the competition in this segment are the Food Bazaars being opened by Pantaloon in its usual blitzkrieg style. That’s not all. Pantaloon’s new chain of stores called Hometown will first debut in Bangalore and later be launched across the country. These stores will cater to all your home needs: furniture, lighting, plumbing, masonry and other home decor things.
For your daily vegetables and cereals, you go to Greens and Grains, an open-air store that looks straight out of a French provincial town with wooden stalls and sloping roofs. For organic vegetables and greens, there’s Namdharis Fresh and Reliance Fresh. Want to buy medicines? Walk into Health and Glow or Pill and Powder, two chains selling health and beauty products. Setting up new house? The nearest Pais, Viveks or Girias will supply you all the appliances you could ever need: from chimneys and cooking ranges to the costliest refrigerators and plasma screens. Need to look at all the brands of cellphones available in a particular category? Go to the nearest Global Access or Sangeetha store and update yourself. Want to pamper the wife? Head straight for the nearest Lush store that exclusively sells bath products.
Bangalore’s retail potential is staggering. And far from being saturated, the market is just opening up.
According to the state government, 256 new IT companies opened last year. About four IT companies are still opening every week. That means that Bangalore’s retail boom is just beginning and everyone here can shop till they drop.
The key catchment area of the malls cover Whitefield, Airport Road, KR Puram, Indiranagar, Marathahalli, AECS Layout, HRBR Layout and Sarjapur. These areas are home to a upper-middle class population that is more than willing to spend at these malls.
Bangalore is leapfrogging into the retail scene and the last few years are a testimony of that. Retail is growing at an annual rate of 45% in the city and is on the preferred city and launch list for most retailers. Not only has Bangalore consolidated its position as a number three retail player in the country after Delhi and Mumbai, market trends reveal that it’s now all set to overtake Mumbai and occupy the number two position by next year. Helping this trend is the new airport slated to come up in May 2008 leading to the volume of air traffic crossing the 10 million mark. One reason why global retail giants are rushing to Bangalore International Airport to set up shop here. In the race are big European names of travel retail: the Nuance Group, HMSHost; Gebrueder Heinemann, Dufry International; DFS Group; Alpha, SSP; and domestic names like Shoppers’ Stop, Oberoi and Pantaloon Retail.
With global brands like Reebok, Levi’s, Adidas, Esprit and Nautica competing with each other to open the biggest retail store in Bangalore, the scene can only get better in the days to come. Take Levi Strauss & Co. Only recently, the MNC opened its second largest store in the world in Bangalore spanning three floors and spread out over 9,000 sq ft. Adidas India wasn’t far behind. The company opened its largest Sport Performance Centre in Asia, in Bangalore. Spread across an area of over 9,000 sq ft over two floors, it offers consumers the same brand experience its customers are familiar with in cities like New York, London, Tokyo and Melbourne. Early this year, Nautica, a leading global lifestyle apparel brand joined the fray in India and set up its 6,800 sq ft flagship store, in Bangalore. It is the largest standalone store outside the US.
The retail market in South India is valued at Rs 262,930 crore (at 2006 current prices). Out of this, the size of the organised retailing market in 2006 stood at Rs 12,825 crore, comprising 4.9 per cent of the total. Only 4.6 of the all-India retail market was organised in 2006. Bangalore was an early mover in setting up organised retail chains – prominent examples include Nilgiris, Viveks and Café Coffee Day. Of the major southern states, organised retail is is highest in Karnataka (5.3%), followed by Kerala (4.8%), Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu (4.7% each).
Food &Grocery is the largest retail category (South India : Rs 162,313 crore; all-India Rs 743,900 crore), and here, in the South 1.2 per cent is organised, as against 0.8 per cent for the whole of India. Fashion is the largest category in the organised retail segment, valued at Rs 4,665 crore and comprising 19 per cent of the organised market share in South India. Future projections show the share of retail for Karnataka will be 10.8 per cent (3.55 million) in 2010. The total supply of shopping centre space in South India is 14.1 million square feet (2006-07), accounting for an increase of about five million square feet over the space available in 2004.
(To be continued)
Meet the men who live and breathe 1000 cc
“Hell! Why is that tree so close?”
Hitting 260 kmph a week ago had given software engineer T Raghu a new high. He was on his way to Devanahalli when he decided to step on the gas and kiss the air yet again. That’s when he realised a tree was coming at him at breakneck speed. Not the tree’s fault really - it was rooted there for several decades and hadn’t moved an inch.
Raghu had had a close encounter a month ago when he was taking a turn at 180 kmph on the way to Hosur. But this one was really close and he wondered if he would ever make it in one piece.
And it happened: he hugged the tree and had a broken leg to show for it.
His 1000 cc bike is no more. But he’s recovering and rearing to go yet again - old habits are hard to give up.
Welcome to the riders of the 1000 cc world.
Name: Rajesh C
Age: 27
Height: 5’9”
Profession: Businessman
The bike I own: R1
Riding since: One year
Record: 265 kmph. Did it with fellow rider Mazher on the way to Devanahalli. And then, riding with a group of friends on Kolar-Mulabagal bypass, I touched 265 kmph. I could stay at that speed for about 3-4 seconds only and then I was down to 200-220 kmph
Next best: Riding with fellow rider Amit and touching 255 kmph
Close encounters: Just one. When I was taking a turn at 180 kmph, a couple of monkeys ran across the road (Kolar to Chittoor). I used the front breaks in turns and the monkeys were smart too. They would stop and go and that helped me pass by without a hitch. Unlike conventional bikes, we use the front breaks 70 per cent of the time. They are a life saver
Milestone: I am the youngest and fastest rider in the group
My kind of food: Seafood
My kind of music: Rock and trance
My kind of movies: Action
Other pastimes: Party-hopping and travelling
Future plans: To move on to R1 2004 model. Mine is of 2002
Last word: Gives you a great high every time you are low. It�s a good anti-depressant. But if you are riding for over 300 kilometres, you will get stressed. One small mistake and you�ve had it
Name: Amit Sandill
Age: 41
Height: 5�7�
Profession: Electronic engineer
The bike I own: YZF 1000 R1
Riding since: 6 months
Record: 260 kmph
First motorcycle: TVS Suzuki
First rode: When I was 12 years old
First race bike: Super Four CB 400R
Greatest experience: Just riding the roads� curves of all kinds are what I like.
Close encounters: Came in too fast into a turn but managed to make it with front breaks, changing gears and positioning my body well
My kind of food: North Indian
My kind of music: Slow rock
My kind of movies: Comedies
Other pastimes: Soccer, trekking and golf
Future plans: Upgrade the bike every year
Last word: Be one with your bike; it will treat you well
Name: Dinesh Reddy
Age: 39
Height: 5�9�
Profession: Businessman
The bike I own: Honda Fireblade 929
Riding since: Mid 2002
Record: 230 kmph
First motorcycle: Yezdi
First rode: When I was 15 years old
First race bike: RD 350 Yamaha
Greatest experience: I went for a two-day riding clinic in Singapore organised by my friends who are pro riders. When I came back and rode the way they had taught me to, the pleasure of riding doubled. Shifting your weight and positioning yourself on the bike can make a big difference
My kind of food: Continental and Goan
My kind of music: From Carnatic to Bob Dylan
My kind of movies: Drama
Other pastime: Trekking
Future plans: To form a club where like-minded bikers come together and have a wonderful time
Last word: Ride them fast, but ride them well. It�s next best to good sex
Name: Sharath Reddy
Age: 42
Height: 5�10�
Profession: Businessman
The bike I own: Suzuki TL 1000R
Riding since: 8 months
Record: 240 kmph. My son was riding pillion with me when I reached my record speed on the Outer Ring Road at noon. He was shell shocked. Didn�t talk to me for half an hour
Close encounters: Kids running across the road. But I avoided by judicious use of the breaks and changing gears on time
First motorcycle: Road King
First rode: In 1976
First race bike: A modified Yezdi
My kind of food: North Indian
My kind of music: Rock
My kind of movies: Comedies
Other pastimes: Badminton, gymming and disc-hopping
Future plans: Graduate to cruisers. Try R 500 cc because I believe in safety � I have a family that depends on me
Last word: It�s the ride of your life
Name: Vijay Pillai
Age: 34
Height: 5�9�
Profession: Personal trainer
The bike I own: Kawasaki Ninja 1200 CC
Riding since: 2 years
Record: 260 kmph. Now I reach that speed every week. It�s a major adrenaline rush for that 10-15 seconds
First motorcycle: RD 350 Yamaha
First rode: When I was 14 years old
First race bike: CBR 900 RR Honda
Greatest experience: Doing 220 kmph with my girl friend riding pillion.
My kind of food: Continental
My kind of music: Soft rock
My kind of movies: Action
Other pastimes: Party-hopping and gymming
Future plans: Another bike of course
Last word: It�s better than sex. A bike will give you an orgasm a woman can�t
Name: Mazher Ahmed
Age: 34
Height: 5�4�
Profession: Businessman
The bike I own: Yamaha 1000
Riding since: 3 years
Record: 265 kmph on Kolar Road two weeks ago
First motorcycle: KB100
First rode: When I was in the 10th standard
First race bike: NSR 250 Rockmans Honda
My kind of food: Tandoor
My kind of music: Pop
My kind of movies: Action
Other pastimes: Squash
Future plans: Maintain my bike as long as I can. In one crash, you could be no more, so be as safe as possible and wear the full riding gear (jacket, boots, gloves and helmet)
Last word: Riding is second best to flying
Name: S Gopinath
Age: 28
Height: 5�8�
Profession: Audio engineering
The bike I own: R1 and 12R
Riding R1 since: 8 months
Record: 260 kmph
Close encounters: Seeing the rear end of a bus coming up too fast on the way to Kolar
First motorcycle: RX100
First rode: In 1986
First race bike: RD350 Gp C. I was also into races for 6-8 months
Greatest experience: The first time I rode my R1
My kind of food: Italian
My kind of music: Rock
My kind of movies: Action
Other pastimes: Nothing, really
Future plans: Buying a ZX 10R next year
Last word: Let the good times roll
Name: Ramana RV
Age: 34
Height: 5�9�
Profession: Businessman
The bike I own: Honda CBR 954 RR
Riding since: 2 months
Record: 188 kmph
First motorcycle: Ind Suzuki
First rode: In 1986
First race bike: The one I own now
My kind of food: Tandoor
My kind of music: All kinds
My kind of movies: Comedies
Other pastimes: Gymming, digging good food, clothes and perfumes
Future plans: Get on to Honda CBR 1000 RR
Last word: I am the little baby of the 1000 cc group and I have a lot to learn and miles to go
(This piece appeared in City Reporter)
