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Sudha Menon

Pune , Sept. 1

STYLE conscious women in Pune who want to spend quality time to shop for the merchandise of their choice will soon have a new destination in Pune where a real estate developer is all set to unveil a shopping mall exclusively designed for the women consumer.

Gera Developments , a Pune-based player in the real estate market is gearing up to give women what they want - a space of their own where they can do some serious shopping minus noisy crowds, long queues and the related hassles of shopping in the large format shopping malls that have sprung up all over the country.

The company is right now in the process of taking its existing shopping mall, Gera Plaza, which, incidentally, was the city's first shopping mall and re-positioning it as the fashion destination for women.

"Pune already has any number of large malls but we see specialistion as a trend that is coming up in malls," says Mr Rohit Gera, Director-Operations, Gera Developments.

The mall, situated in the upmarket Boat Club road area of Pune is right now donning the war paint that will pull in the foot falls. Design duo Phalguni and Satish Gokhale of `Design Directions' are giving the property a make over with a dominant pink n black colour theme to go with ambience of the mall. On offer will be everything that women need from garments, shoes to cosmetics and lingerie.

The company is planning to keep the large brands at an arms distance and allow smaller, more local and regional brands on their store shelves.

With some fifteen days to go before the formal launch, the company is also firming up plans to make the mall a happening place.

Elbow Room, one of the most popular pubs in the city, which is housed inside the mall will now also play its role in creating a buzz around the destination with plans being worked out to organise night shopping and pubbing combos for women who like to have some fun while shopping.

A coffeeshop and a lobby that will double up as a ramp where the company plans to unveil new collections from the various retail clients in the malls are also on the anvil.

The company is also putting up a `fashion barometer' hoarding at the destination which the city's fashion-conscious women can look up for ready tips on what's hot and what not.

"Women have traditionally complained that they don't enjoy taking spouses/partners out shopping because the latter just don't have the patience for window shopping and browsing.

"Our mall could prove to be just the place where she can get along with friends or go to alone for some great shopping and relaxing," says Mr Gera.

More Stories on : Retailing | Maharashtra

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