Jan 09, 2008 04:24 PM
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(Updated Jan 09, 2008 04:27 PM)
Bangaloretoday is a city of Gardens AND Malls!Everywhere you go or rather wherever you go, you will see one new mall or something like that opening up with huge buildings and minuscule parking space. With hardly any places where you can just go and sit without spending paisa, it’s the malls that see bursting at seams crowds!(No reference to tight clothes worn by both the genders and the ones in between).
So, most of us are not just Nuclear but also “Mall”ecular families!
On one such weekend, no relative or friend was to be found to be pakaoed, I suggested lets try that new hypermarket thing we saw the other day! Mayunk – pati – father – chauffer rolled into one started off about traffic on Bannerghatta Road and how will we ever enter that place by crossing the road in never stopping traffic! After some goading about don’t be such a bore etc, he agreed lets go! And off we were to Spar Hypermarket.
Spar Hypermarket is located at an inconvenient place on Bannerghatta Road, but once you enter the place you forget all about the miserable traffic you just faced.
The parking though not ample seemed sufficient the 3-4 times we went there. Last timethey had valet parking (wowee!) available and very happily handed over our keys and scrammed to shop! The parking is free as of now as an introductory offer, but they have seem really high rates written on the parking ticket. Don’t know when they will start charging it.
The lift in the basement takes you to the ground floor which has a few shops. There’s Odyssey the book shop, which though not the best stocked, has a great selection of books for kids than adults. They have a fairly large Moser Baer collection of DVDs and VCDs. There’s a camera accessories shop called Pixetra and some more stuff.
In the empty space they also have some things that are on discount in the store. So you might get some toys for a fab discount or kuch home accessories etc. The prices are clearly mentioned and billing quite prompt.
Now this bit isn’t too impressive. It’s when you reach the first floor on “Travelator” (it’s an escalator in the form of ramp) and enter the actual departmental store that you can’t help but go crazy! I mean I never though well laid out aisles and aisles of groceries can make me go weak in the knees!
You just let your eyes get adjusted to and feast on the neatly laid out samaan on uncluttered shelves with aisles wide enough for at least two trolleysto comfortable be there, shop and pass each other without having to reverse or say sorry!
First floor is all your food items. From 25 different types and brands of oil, to a separate section for salt and assorted masala to a whole area dedicated to juices of every kind your trolley is just getting laden with more and more stuff! A great section that has all your fancy sauces and salad dressings that will let you have gourmet meals right at home. And if you are wondering where will I get all those veggies like broccoli, asparagus and lettuce, don’t you fret! Clean, fresh and green – they sit pretty at the veggies and fruits section along with sadda bhindi, gobi aur baingan. Carnivores need not sulk! They have a superb meat and fish counter as well at which I have seen some real long Qs!
Other than that all your regular stuff like ready to eats, chai and coffee, biscuits, farsaan etc have their own spacious sections. The frozen foods are all available here – peas, sausages, parathas and ofcos ice cream etc!
Second floor (again you have a Travelator to take you up and down) has the non-food thingummies that you need! Be it your shaving cream, deodorant, diapers or toilet paper, you will find it all here! They also sell steel and non-stick bartans.
The cost of every product is clearly put across on tags below the product and if there are any discounts you will find Best Deal written there. As you enter, they also have a printed pamphlet of that day’s deals and can make your shopping easier if you were anyway looking for some of those things!
The best part (yes there is more!;) is that they have over 20 billing tills which are manned at all hours. So you are never in a Q for too long. Big Bazaar can really learn a lesson here! :p The staff is extremely courteous and helpful. They accept cash, credit and sodexho for your shopping. It’s open from 9am to 10pm.
All in all Spar Hypermarket is where you will get just about everything of your daily needs in easy and hassle free manner
But beware! Last thing you will be able to do is spend your money “Spar”ingly!
PS. As for the blue cheese – there’s a counter which has all these weird imported cheeses that are being sold! Blue Cheese is one of them!
PPS. You know me and my habit of grabbing eyeballs!! (yes Shyam! I am the good Mommy now!;)
