What's going on with Major Ekamai (Major Cineplex Sukhumvit)?

[OneMoreFarang]

I used to go a lot to Major Ekamai to the cinema, eating Suki, etc. Now I go mostly to Terminal 21.

Yesterday I was the first time since Covid in Major Ekamai. I was surprised that at least half the restaurants and shops are gone. Even the usual chains like Swenson's don't have a restaurant there anymore.

The cinema counter was also maybe 1/3 size of what it used to be.

What's going on? Was there any special incident at that place so that people don't go there anymore?

Or is there finally a saturation of shopping malls in Bangkok that if there is a new shopping mall that people don't visit the existing mall(s) anymore?

 

[digbeth]

It's not upmarket anymore with Emquartier just up the road

It'd be quite telling to see if over half the showings are Thai dubbed instead of subtitled which would indicates a lower income -working class clientele 

[NicoBKK]

The same is happening post covid to Gateway Ekkamai. Mostly of coffee shops are now closed, as well as Educational, Yoga, Toys, stalls. 

In my view as often happens here in LOS, landlords are trying cover the previous year's losses by doubling rents and tenants just give up. May be the value of the area will eventually justify a luxurious condo vs a relatively old mall and both malls will disappear in some years from now.  

[Irish star]

On 1/30/2024 at 12:25 PM, digbeth said:

It's not upmarket anymore with Emquartier just up the road

It'd be quite telling to see if over half the showings are Thai dubbed instead of subtitled which would indicates a lower income -working class clientele 

Emsphere has some great eateries ,also 

[Caldera]

On 1/30/2024 at 11:11 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

The cinema counter was also maybe 1/3 size of what it used to be.

 

That would be the same even at the more popular places, because they've been pushing e-Tickets.

 

But otherwise, yes, definitely quite a visible decline at Major Ekkamai.

[FarangryBirds]

They did recently open a big Starbucks at the front entrance but now nothing shopwise on the middle level. 

 

I think the cinema pushing self service ticketing instead of manned counters.

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, FarangryBirds said:

They did recently open a big Starbucks at the front entrance but now nothing shopwise on the middle level. 

 

I think the cinema pushing self service ticketing instead of manned counters.

Yes, I saw the Starbucks.

But I didn't see Swenson's anymore. And a place like that without Swenson's is obviously unacceptable.

And I guess Swenson's didn't run out of money. So the fact that they are not in there anymore is a bad sign that they don't have much hope for that place anymore - at least that is the way I interpret the situation. 

[mfinasi]

On 1/31/2024 at 2:34 PM, NicoBKK said:

The same is happening post covid to Gateway Ekkamai. Mostly of coffee shops are now closed, as well as Educational, Yoga, Toys, stalls. 

In my view as often happens here in LOS, landlords are trying cover the previous year's losses by doubling rents and tenants just give up. May be the value of the area will eventually justify a luxurious condo vs a relatively old mall and both malls will disappear in some years from now.  

 

Always laugh when I hear stories like this, but they are frequent across the whole of Thailand.. Sometimes it is previous year losses, other times landlord's son or wife make big problem for family with gambling debts, other times they have an epiphany that they can run it better themselves once forced out existing tenant - then get all upset when tenant takes out all the furnishings they provided too, years later the same units where a decent restaurant or nice independent coffee shop once stood remain dormant and decaying..