Shopping Delhi

<Its a dated article but since I wrote this on my previous blog, I am moving it here>

Happened to visit the sale at one of the oldest chain of new-world home furnishing at my favourite mall - Pacific Mall at Anand Vihar ISBT Crossing. The mall can be conveniently pulled to Delhi or Ghaziabad, as you like it, since it is right on the border. So if you wanna call someone there and he happens to live in Delhi, you can say, oh, it is in East Delhi. Similarly if you do not want someone to follow you there, you can say - hey, i’m going to this mall in Ghaziabad.

Anyway, a few years back I used follow THS and their sales year after year, and then I left it. They had closed down some stores and most of the stuff had become beyond my comprehension. There were candles and candles everywhere and over the years I had collected only too many, in my inverter-backed-up home! My idea of dinner is not by the candle side since I really need to SEE what I’m eating… every morsel… and savour it. So I lost interest.

I was really impressed by the size and range of the store and the fact that there were a lot of stuff that seemed genuinely on sale. Like all stores in Pacific Mall (which is why I love it), this is also a very large outlet. So even though 25% of the section is all candles, there’s lots more in the rest.

There’s furniture - pretty nice designs and good price too. Great lamps and shades (if you’re interested, there’s a floor lamp - 5 ft with a cane mesh, on a 80% discount! cost about 1000 post discount). There’re also futons in interesting packages. There’s garden furniture and the usual sofa-cum-beds.

They also have great crockery and cutlery. Now if you wanna buy individual pieces, you may find the same piece on 10%, 25% and 35% all. So please LOOK.

They also have very good kitchen stands in steel. The rates are as good as Lajpat Nagar, if not better.

Do ask in each section “what’s on 80%” I can bet you’ll thank me.

I bought a rice platter at 80% - cost me 49 bucks, 2 boat-shaped serving bowls at 50% - cost 99 for 2, a set of 4 bowl at 25% - cost 75 (now see, they’re there on 35% and 50%, but I like these colors much better and since the net difference was not much, I went for my choice), a mug @ 25% Less, cost around 45 and yes, oil keeper in a stand at 50% for 200 bucks.

In all, all of the above cost me a little less than 500. Which is a great buy!

The sale closes on the 8th April’07. Take out time and pay a visit, it’ll be worth it!

p.s. the shop next to it, Always 99 or something, has quite similar stuff at a further half (or less) price. May check that too!

Foreword

The character of each city is defined by a few things - climate, area (big or small), cultural influences of surrounding area, demography and it’s souveniers. All these things in most ways put forth a city on the tourist map and make a ‘destination’ out of a place of inhabitance.

Delhi, being a metropolitan city, today offers anything and everything that was once available only somewhere else. In simple words, you get everything. And on the standards of quality, value and price, things are much more homogeneous than they once were. One does not have to wait for seasons or fashions to find something of your choice. Markets have broadened, distribution channels are slicker, there is money to buy more (and just stock it, if not required at that point) and most importantly people are ready to experiment and indulge.

In all, buying is not a need. It is definitely not a hobby. It is not a skill. It is an art that brings you closer to your self and your self-esteem.

The high of a bargain hunt is far larger than that of a decent meal, a smoke break from work/kids and an average movie date. It even lasts longer - days, weeks, in freak cases, even months.

We are trying to create a Specialist Pool of information, understanding and passion for Better Deals for day-to-day stuff. Let us all put together anything and everything we spend our money on, and better ways to do it! I’m SURE, very SURE there are.