Total Mall

... used to be my hangout during 2008 - early 2009. Being so close to the office, we'd drop in ever so often for a burger, shopping or just plain timepass. Then, the recession kicked in, the team was downsized & I had to leave the cosy confines of M4.

And before I realized it, it had been 10 months since I had last stepped into the place. Till today, that is, when Shanu came up with the idea of a visit to the nearest McDonald's. Reached there around 6:30 in the evening. And I was not prepared for the changes.

The roads & general infrastructure outside have improved from their previous state of perennial construction & reconstruction. Good. But inside, it's a different story. The luxury store from where I'd got my G-Shock has long gone. Replaced by three different discount readymade stores. All pretty downmarket. Huge contrast.

The ground floor MusicWorld is gone too. A horde of trinket & cheap jewellery stalls have taken it's place. Not very appealing. The CCD outlet still manages good business, but is crowded out from view by icecream parlours & ladies bag stalls. Plus, there's a stall advertising spoken English courses & another selling roach poison! The Reebok showroom lies empty & desolate. And no sign of the Levi's outlet which used to be there near the lifts.

There's a new John Players store ... but that's about the only positive. All in all, a pretty huge trade down for the mall's image. But I guess they've got to do what they've got to do. Footfalls were probably never enough to support those stores in the first place.

Had my Chicken Maharaja Mac & moved out. Things have changed pretty fast.