The Hindu Business Line : Top brands line up to take space at Ishanya

HOME Solutions, the Pantaloon group's home needs brand, with its sub-brands Home Town, Mela, E Zone and 1 Collection, would be the anchor tenants of the country's first design centre and speciality mall, Ishanya, which would be functional by July this year in Pune.

While Home Solutions has leased around one lakh sq ft of retail space, the other brands that are going to be present are international fabric and furnishing company, Ace, promoted by Pidilite Industries, Welspun and Fab India, which have leased around 15,000 sq ft of space each.

Ishanya is reported to have already leased 50 per cent of its 5,50,000 sq ft of its leasable space. And as far as the tenant mix is concerned, Mr I.S. Narula, CEO of Ishanya, said that it would include brands, which offer unique solutions. "Ishanya will not be just a collection of existing brands and stores in various parts of the city aggregated at one location."

The company is also looking at including local players with differential offerings. "We are in talks with a ceramic designer and a sculptor," said Mr Narula.

The company has also tied up with the Institute of Indian Interior Design, which will handle the mall's knowledge centre.

"It will take care of the library and data bank and also manage the mock-up areas, where interior designers can display their designs. We also plan to work with the Institute of Indian Interior Design to organise events, which would be in the interest of the interior designers fraternity. Also on cards is the holding of furniture design contests."

Mr Narula said that the company was in talks with the Indian Institute of Architecture to conduct seminars and lectures on architecture.

On whether the company plans to set up more such speciality design malls across the country, Mr Narula said, "We will not start our second project till we bring this mall up to customers' expectations."