_Hiya peeps! It is true that once it opened its doors to Mauritians, Phoenix Les Halles instantly became the MUST-SEE of the island, particularly for the teen generation seeing in it as the perfect hang-out spot! But about 3 years after its grand opening on Saturday 25th October in 2008, the shopping mall has lost not only its shine and glimmer, but also its customers, crucial for the running of the whole complex... Empty parking lots, empty food court and stores closing down are all signs foreshadowing the commercial centre's sad but inevitable fate - doomsday is reaching faster than 2012 for Phoenix Les Halles! Even well-established brands like Maille Street are offering 70% discount on most items left in store (probably since quite some time!!) and if some can still open their shutters in the morning - namely Celio*, Bella Donna, Mr Price and Andre amongst others - many have simply left this expensive AND inefficient location.Let's face it, Phoenix Les Halles Commercial Centre is closing down... but can it really be used else way ? It has been rumored that the building will be converted to a Home Hub by next year. Still we wonder whether or not this conversion will do any good - especially when we know that Mauritians tend to spend more on clothing than on home accessory and decor. Yet, with a growing aesthetic-conscious community, a Home Hub sounds plausible... Do you think that the attractiveness of novelty towards Bagatelle Mall of Mauritius will last ? or will it slowly fade out and that the Les Halles fiasco be seen again... Please leave your comments :) Sine Cera
18 Comments
roca
12/28/2011 02:59:21 pm
i personaly dnt think tht bagatel mall will maintain its popularity for long,there aint anything interesting there apart from the foodcourt since it isnt like any other in mauritius(larger space,greater varieties,the decor n all),so obviusly many will be amazed,otherwise the shops r not affordable,some r nuh even interesting..i ask myself y make such an extravagent mall wen the mass cannot actuali benefit from most of it?so i think if bagatel lasts,it will b coz of the cine (3D movies) and food(food lovers market& foodcourt) thts it.
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Kelvin
12/29/2011 09:46:08 am
I have to comply with your opinion - although the Food Lovers Market is another story! Thanks for the response :)
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roca
12/29/2011 12:03:04 pm
for example u hv 'ocean' or 'identity' i dnt reli find anything id call fashionable in these shops,its rare,or even fabrics ppl specially teens will be keen to wear,well idk for male stuffs,buh im disappointed concerning lady's wear,however less disappointed concerning the shoes as they're not bad..plus u hv the typical shops like body&soul,habit,east-sider,like cmon theyre evrywer so bored of these brands!!and of course the price is an inevitable issue,so yea,thts wa i think..
RA.1
12/29/2011 03:22:51 pm
not even the 3D movies are worth their price
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roca
12/29/2011 03:54:35 pm
didnt even bother to try it Well, to reply to your reply, even though I agree that Ocean has limited items (let's put it this way), I cannot accept that you associate Identity with Ocean - they're from different leagues! Identity is one of my secret spots at Bagatelle. Just got a pair of summer shoes there -will be blogging about them soon :P
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roca
12/30/2011 09:00:51 am
lol i said 'OR' i didnt relate them :P and i said the shoes aint bad plus ur a guy so idk bout male stuff :P u might hv misunderstood me on this one,its alright tho :)
Ghirish
12/29/2011 06:30:19 am
well,i believe Bagatel mall wil remain a popular leisure place(though nt a popular shopping centre due to high prices)until the opening of yet another such an extravagant complex...just like wat hapend in the case of the Caudan waterfrnt n Phoenix,les halles!
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Your analysis of the situation is very pertinent! Indeed, it seems to be a very popular leisure place and that is to remain like that until a new extravagant (you certainly chose THE perfect word) mall opens! Thanks for the response.
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Ghirish
12/30/2011 07:29:15 am
converting a "huge" shopping complex like Phoenix,Les Halles into a Home Hub actually requires a big budget.so logically ur equatn do stand good for the viability of such project but in reality, it does not specially if the company is thinking only of making profits...but there is still hope that the Home Hub gonna be a success because nowadays everyone want a unique touch in his/her home n they carefully chose each n every piece that they are going to place in their home no matter how costly the item may be...i knw people(close ones) who spend lavishly on such products!! Thanks for giving us the heads-up about this new extravagant project, with, from what I read from the link, a minimum of Rs 350 000 000 investment money.With such astounding sum, we hope it does work better than Phoenix Les Halles. But to say that it will gain more popularity than Bagatelle Mall is doubtful. We have to keep in mind that Bagatelle has, by far, the BEST location in Mauritius since it's at the heart of the country. Yet, we believe that it will probably be a viable project since it involves a community alongside a shopping/leisure area. The only question mark remains - who will be able to afford the apartments in such a high-value market touristic region ?
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Shravan.
12/31/2011 03:30:02 am
Well Kelvin, I'd just like to point out the actually a Home Hub will face the same problem like before (a big closure) as other competitors such as Mr.Bricolage, Espace Maison are already in the market and clients are really satisfied.
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Thank you for this very interesting point of view. About the viability of the Home Hub, I'd like you to think in terms of prices - Mr Bricolage and Espace Maison are stores from France if I'm not wrong and the prices are not quite reasonable. We want affordable merchandise in these difficult economic times and even though another Home Hub might be introduced at Phoenix Les Halles, the crucial matter is about their prices - customers are now attracted by price, not brand.
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Shravan
1/4/2012 03:57:54 pm
For the first piece of paragraph, with the introduction of the Home Hub I really think it will be eligible if a Mauritian country takes it.
Shravan
1/4/2012 03:57:56 pm
For the first piece of paragraph, with the introduction of the Home Hub I really think it will be eligible if a Mauritian country takes it.
Shravan
1/4/2012 04:00:14 pm
Read and correct errors.
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Shravan, that's a long reply! And I now feel you are pro-gaming zone then!! 2 to 3 casinos!? Really? Is that your option to fill up space? With the law getting stricter with these and Mauritians spending too much already on lottery tickets and scratch cards, I would feel guilty of letting those casinos open!
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