CHENNAI: TNIE spends a day at India’s oldest shopping mall which has lost its sheen to fancier and swankier malls only to find that it still houses a few hidden gems to delight the retail junkie in you
New Kashmir Arts & Crafts
As we walk from Phase-I to Phase-II, we enter New Kashmir Arts & Crafts, which is home to everything native to the country. It is a treasure trove that houses carpets, durries, pashmina shawls, handlooms, jewellery to an enviable collection of handicrafts from all over the country. Our eyes fall on a copper tribal art piece sourced from Orissa.
Costing a whopping Rs 1.62 lakh, it made us skip a heartbeat for its price and beauty. But we are sure this stunning piece of work will not be easily available online. Also, it is being sold at a 40 per cent discount! Apart from this, there are stunning wooden handpainted elephants from Jodhpur in multiple sizes. There are also little trinkets like magnets and keychains priced from Rs 100 onwards.
De Grains & Herbes
As we browse through the plaza, we stumble upon this beauty store that sells organic products. This large departmental store has two stores — one in Phase-II and the other one tucked away in Phase-I. While the one in Phase-II stocks personal care and skincare products by popular brands, the store in Phase-I is a must-visit. It houses a wide variety of skin and haircare brands that are not commonly found in regular stores. They are organic and designed to suit every need and pocket.
The mixed fragrance of jasmine and shea, which fills the air here, will lure you into the shop that has everything from soap, hair oil, conditioner, shampoo, face wash, body wash, moisturiser, face and body masks, scrubs, essential oils and serums. The brands available include Soulflower, OShea, Soil and Earth, Khadi, Herbodaya, Mirabelle, Khadi Organique, Song of India. There’s a special offer currently, which will provide a discount up to 15 per cent on all skincare products in the store.
New Elite Gems and Jewels
Apart from clothes and accessories, the mall is home to several silver and gold jewellery stores that sell exquisite adornments. One of the interesting features of this store is that apart from the regular jewellery, it offers statues and sculptures of all sizes in all kinds of natural gemstones like jade, lapis, labradorite, tiger’s eye, rose quartz, natural quartz and howelite. A small statue in natural gemstones would cost about Rs 1,500 and above. The store also takes customised orders.
Cuir Galerie
In the past, Spencer Plaza was a place where you could get genuine leather products. Keeping up with that characteristic from the past is Cuir Galerie on the second floor of Phase-II. This exclusive pure leather store sells wallets, jackets, belts, suitcases, handbags, laptop sleeves, executive bags and they are all on offer. They also accept customised orders and corporate gifting.
For those who have to travel to cooler climes, consider this: a pure leather jacket here is priced at just Rs 4,000. Also, if you’re a biker looking for a funky leather jacket, head to this shop without a second thought. And ladies, you don’t have to just settle for a black or brown jacket. They have other colours too! They also have a variety of handbags, starting from Rs 2,000 onwards.
Chinar
The corridors in all the phases and floors of the mall are dotted with small shops that sell cashmere handlooms and carpets. One among them is Chinar which sells exquisite handmade pashmina shawls of the finest quality starting from Rs 7,000. The owner is quick to point out that while many people sell what they claim as pashminas, however, those are machine-made and mixes. The machine-made ones are available for Rs 2,000 or less but do not boast the same craftsmanship or quality of an original handmade-pashmina.
We can instantly feel the difference when he hands us a shawl. The store also specialises in hand-knotted carpets made of lustrous wool. Pricing depends on the size of the carpet. If you’re looking for reasonable shawls and scarves to up your fashion quotient, there is a large range to choose from Rs 300 onwards. The store also has bedspreads and blankets that will add to your home’s charm.