After a great hype and on utter curiosity last Sunday went to Express Avenue, Chennai.
A new mall in town from Indian Express Group.
No doubt compared to Spencers, Ampa Skywalk, Chennai Citi Center, this place huge and big. Lot of ventilation and lot of branded shops unlike Spencer.
First the good things
1) they have good car parking facility. More importantly its neatly done and colors painted inside the basement floors are cool to the eyes unlike spencers.
2) Wide variety of shops - all are branded. Some shops construction is going on.
3) The place is huge and big. Need at least a day to walk to all the floors and shops.
4) Air conditioning is good in all the shopping floors.
5) Escalators, Lifts are good and placed at various points for easy navigation.
6) Neat flooring
Few things bothered me, below are some
1) The food court on the top floor, is badly organized. It couldnt accomadate all the visitors to it. I saw many people standing anwd having food/ waiting for food.
2) The air conditioning is very bad.
3) I went to Sangeetha for a coffee and milk for my son. I showed 100 rs to the counter. The lady in the counter asked me to buy a smart card from one of the express maintained counters. Went to buy the card. There was a long queue waiting for the card/ recharge. For 40 rs - milk and coffee, I waited in the line and got the card, loaded with 80 rs, where 20 rs went for new card charges.Again went to sangeetha counter, meantime my family was slowly becoming restless, as they were standing for a long time. Sangeetha counter again by this time, were flooded with human hands... everyone waiving their cards. I too did. After a long struggle the lady took my card and gave me a bill for coffee and milk. After 15 minutes my turn came in and took the beverages to my family. Atmost they had lost interest in having coffee.
We had it and took a conviction that we should never visit the food court again. Its all commotion and congestion...
By the way, why Sangeetha is charging Rs. 20 for a coffee... What is the rationale behind this cost...?? Looks like a daylight robbery.. A loot.
4) The childrens play area - better to avoid. When you enter once, and come out, sure, you will drenched in your own sweat... no aircondtioning.. the price they charge for games - my god... sangeetha coffee price is better...
5) Life Style - over crowded. Citi center seems to be best.
All together
Mall is good.
Plan what/ which shop you are going to buy/ then visit the place..
food courts - please avoid
https://expressavenue.in/