The Avenue Shopping Mall

[NotNew2You]

While walking thru the Avenue Mall this morning, I spied what appeared to be the first retail casualty at this project (at least on the ground floor, which is all I ever walk around). At the entrance at the back soi, there was like a home-linens bathroom type store on the corner. It was quite a big space and seemed to have high-end bedding and some bath suppllies. I never saw ANYONE in there and it might be possible they never had a sale the entire 5-6 months its been open! While, it was all boarded up this morning...I think the first (of likely many) business to close in this mall.

The place is like a ghost town these days and I don't see how most/any of the retail tenants in this development will survive (save Villa and the bigger food outlets).

[poshthai]

I do have sympathy for businesses in Pattaya,however it seems so peaceful now we have the low season.Many bars and restaraunts are empty which is not good for the owners,but this is because there are too many in Pattaya/jomtien.

[JohnC]

there was a gift shop on the second floor which closed down about two months ago.

[Meg_2003]

I've also noticed that The Avenue does seem deadly quiet and also wondered how the businesses can stay open. I went there a few days ago and did not see any customers in ANY of the shops. Seems like only the restaurants at the 2nd Road entrance seem to have customers, also Major Cineplex has always been quite busy every time I go..

[thaiflyer1]

Not only the shops but also the Heineken beer garden hasn't lasted, nor the barrow type stalls that were set up in the middle of the "moat" type feature towards the rear of the ground floor.

........and yes, the girl with the linen store , always use to feel sorry for her , sat in there at her desk with not a soul in sight.

[buckeroo2]

I go to California WOW evey other day and I also notice that the shops are almost void of customers. Contrary to so many threads here, I really enjoy WOW. The equipment is top notch, they have turned down the volume of the music, I have a life time membership and no one ever bothers me, tries to solicit, etc. I do a 90 minute work-out every other day and I always see a steady stream of people taking a tour of the gym with a sales person. And I never see the American manager who so many riled against - saw him about 4 months ago - anyway, I think WOW is in no danger - neither is the theater or bowling and a few of the larger eating establishments - but otherwise, Avenue is spookily quiet.

I've also noticed that The Avenue does seem deadly quiet and also wondered how the businesses can stay open. I went there a few days ago and did not see any customers in ANY of the shops. Seems like only the restaurants at the 2nd Road entrance seem to have customers, also Major Cineplex has always been quite busy every time I go..

[Beacher]

I go to California WOW evey other day and I also notice that the shops are almost void of customers. Contrary to so many threads here, I really enjoy WOW. The equipment is top notch, they have turned down the volume of the music, I have a life time membership and no one ever bothers me, tries to solicit, etc. I do a 90 minute work-out every other day and I always see a steady stream of people taking a tour of the gym with a sales person. And I never see the American manager who so many riled against - saw him about 4 months ago - anyway, I think WOW is in no danger - neither is the theater or bowling and a few of the larger eating establishments - but otherwise, Avenue is spookily quiet.

I've also noticed that The Avenue does seem deadly quiet and also wondered how the businesses can stay open. I went there a few days ago and did not see any customers in ANY of the shops. Seems like only the restaurants at the 2nd Road entrance seem to have customers, also Major Cineplex has always been quite busy every time I go..

It may help businesses there if people knew that California Wow has now turned down the volume of their music. Being bombarded by their songs as one approaches The Avenue was one of the reasons I stayed away from there -- that and The Villa's typically overpriced goods.

It also seems to be an odd mix of stores/services there.

[whatsoever]

Ist casualty - one thinks not! To add yet another - the tea shop on the corner near the car park. Nice looking place , blue decor. Never ever seen a customer in the place - also gone!

[BugJackBaron]

Ist casualty - one thinks not! To add yet another - the tea shop on the corner near the car park. Nice looking place , blue decor. Never ever seen a customer in the place - also gone!

Yes , I think it was called Witard on White ...there is a branch in Emporium in Bangkok but obviously

the clientelle just isnt' suffiecient here. 

 But more stores are "coming soon" it seems ,so there are still some bold souls out there.

[Zodiac]

I recently took some people to Avenue Mall for the first time and they hated it.

Something amiss, as going to the likes of Royal Garden and Big C much more pleasant.

Whoever designed and created The Avenue failed to realise it should be made customer/consumer friendly, which it is not.

[sotsira]

I recently took some people to Avenue Mall for the first time and they hated it.

Something amiss, as going to the likes of Royal Garden and Big C much more pleasant.

Whoever designed and created The Avenue failed to realise it should be made customer/consumer friendly, which it is not.

What reasons do you have for it not being customer friendly?

[whatsoever]

I recently took some people to Avenue Mall for the first time and they hated it.

Something amiss, as going to the likes of Royal Garden and Big C much more pleasant.

Whoever designed and created The Avenue failed to realise it should be made customer/consumer friendly, which it is not.

Agreed! I think people see it more as a curiousity

[NotNew2You]

I hadn't noticed that the Whitards of Chelsea tea/coffee shop had also closed but certainly not surprised. There was rarely anyone in there either. (That also reminds me, there was also a small coffee shop across from New Zealand ice-cream that closed a couple months ago so it was likely the first casualty. Like the linen shop, I don't think I EVER saw a customer in there the 6-9 months is was open.) As pointed out, Whitard's has branches at Emporium (and also at the airport and probably at Central World and Paragon in Bangkok too) that do well but of course, Bangkok has a completely different customer base that Pattaya.

From the very beginning, this mall seems to me to have been a failure on both an aesthetic level and with its tenant mix. As pointed out before, an "outdoor mall" type design like this really doesn't work in a tropical climate like Pattya/Thailand. Who is going to bother to stroll around the shops on various floors in the blazing heat of the day, the stifling humidity of many nites, or during the torrential downpours during the rainy season! Too cheap to build an enclosed mall and pay for the air conditioning I guess. In addition, the Flintstones "Bedrock" city design of the place with the huge boulder type walking stone pavements, watery swamp, and ribbons of pebbles here and there make it difficult for both older farangs and ladies in high-heels to get around. In addition, the whole front entrance area was ripped-out a few months ago and still has not been replaced. I still have to step up a pile of construction blocks to enter Au Bon Pain!

As to any reason to go here, the tenant mix has always pretty lame. At one point, I counted 6 or 7 coffee shops! I guess with the 2 closures, it's down to around 5. Still allot. There are 3 dedicated ice-cream shops...probably 2 too many. There are also, I believe, 4 optical shops, which is probably 2 too many. I also never see anyone shopping in any of the over-priced brand name shoe and clothing stores either - the Puma, Adidas, Rip-Curl shop (hello out there...there is no surf to speak of in Pattaya and so you can't go surf-boarding), and others. Some of the restaurants seem to do okay (but the fancy smanshy Orangery By the Sea I predict will fall fairly soon) and the anchor tenants of Villa, Major movies/bowl, and Cal. Wow will likely do okay...if only because the developer would likely give them a rent break if they needed it to survive as as not to loose what little customer draw this mall has.

However, as soon as the new Central Mall opens next year, the Avenue, IMO, will be toast. They will have all of what the Ave. has and lots more AND IT WILL BE AN ENCLOSED AIR CON MALL. Maybe in a few years, the Ave. will be converted into some sort of discount or outlet mall or they may just go belly-up and demolish the place and start over. At a minimum, they will have to build a shell around the whole thing and air-con it.

[ThaiLife]

Could it be some thing to do with walking around looking into the shops , while the beads of perspiration run down your face and your melting Cornetto looks sadder by the minute , bugger this tilack lets go to Royal Garden its cooler in there

[whatsoever]

I recently took some people to Avenue Mall for the first time and they hated it.

Something amiss, as going to the likes of Royal Garden and Big C much more pleasant.

Whoever designed and created The Avenue failed to realise it should be made customer/consumer friendly, which it is not.

What reasons do you have for it not being customer friendly?

The 'Avenue' could well be the 'Duck Square' of 2nd road. Think aircon - think comfort - think friendly aircon comfort!

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

I think Fatboy's Diner was the first casualty. I went by Saturday night and it was closed up. I heard the British owner had requested the landlord renegotiate his Bt120,000 lease due to low foot traffic. The landlord refused and the owner walked away from his investment. Blu-O bowling alley, Villa Market, Major Cineplex, WOW California, Shenanigans, McDonalds and Au Bon Pain seem to be the only businesses which will survive the first year.

[Heng]

However, as soon as the new Central Mall opens next year, the Avenue, IMO, will be toast. They will have all of what the Ave. has and lots more AND IT WILL BE AN ENCLOSED AIR CON MALL.

Royal Garden is going to take quite a hit as well. It'll still be around but it'll become what Mike Shopping Mall is compared to itself nowadays.

[whatsoever]

However, as soon as the new Central Mall opens next year, the Avenue, IMO, will be toast. They will have all of what the Ave. has and lots more AND IT WILL BE AN ENCLOSED AIR CON MALL.

Royal Garden is going to take quite a hit as well. It'll still be around but it'll become what Mike Shopping Mall is compared to itself nowadays.

The Royal Garden will never die! SAVE THE ROYAL GARDEN

[Heng]

Yeah, it'll be there... but it'll just be the shopping center folks walk to/through and when they don't want to stray to far from the hotel (JW).

[cali4995]

I have to give credit where it's due, I think it was jonniebkk who first correctly stated it

was the outdoor mall design of the place that would be it's demise and he was right. I've

only been up to the 3rd floor once. Certainly doesn't encourage visiting all the stores.

[BugJackBaron]

I think Fatboy's Diner was the first casualty. I went by Saturday night and it was closed up. I heard the British owner had requested the landlord renegotiate his Bt120,000 lease due to low foot traffic. The landlord refused and the owner walked away from his investment. Blu-O bowling alley, Villa Market, Major Cineplex, WOW California, Shenanigans, McDonalds and Au Bon Pain seem to be the only businesses which will survive the first year.

 Having wasted a few hundred baht on their disgusting burgers, I can't say I'm not pleased that Fatboy's is  gone..

[JimmyTheMook]

Has anyone tried the Orange Seafood place on the 2nd floor ?

Or is it closed already....

[barryofthailand]

Wait until the Central Festival Beach opens next year , and you will really see some stores in the Avenue close. this town cannot support everything that is opening, especially when their are a minimum amount of tourist here.

Barry

[longball53098]

The Ave. should close and start over-------------one of the poorest designed malls ever. The architect is laughing all the way to the bank. He actually sold this design to some fool.

[cudaproject]

Has anyone tried the Orange Seafood place on the 2nd floor ?

Or is it closed already....

Yes, I tried it. They have a wide variety on their menu, from Turkish to Thai to Indian. the food is not bad, but very pricey for what it is really. However the open top restaurant is quite nice and relaxing, sort of place to take a girl on a first date..

[Chaimai]

Whoever designed and created The Avenue failed to realise it should be made customer/consumer friendly, which it is not.

I also agree.

I cannot put my finger, specifically, on what I don't like but I just did not get a good feel for the place. At first I thought it was because there was nothing Thai, nothing cultural about it - it could have been in any major town/city.

I think "not user friendly" in this context means unwelcoming, characterless, dis-jointed, lacking ambience etc.

[Heng]

Let's not forget that the businesses themselves need some kind of draw factor as well. It's not like having to go up 2-3 escalators and then some stairs to patronize the Major Cineplex (not only here but anywhere they operate) is in any way "convenient" but they've been pretty much highly profitable for about a decade now.

[Jingthing]

Well, I have a different perspective.

I like the mall design. It is something different. To my view, the problem with the closing businesses is their business plans. I believe owners who offer what people want at a good price will draw the business. For example, Fatboys. I had a look at their menu. Ridiculously overpriced and a boring men, no thank you. Good riddance for bad rubbish.

I had a meal at Pizza Pizza once. Tiny bad lasagne for a big price. You have got to offer value for money, even in a luxo mall. The model of numerous optical shops, for example, so typical. There is such a lack of originality in what is offered. Many of the businesses in the Avenue are exactly the same businesses from luxo malls in Bangkok. Not considering the market. There are some that would probably work. I think a Greyhound branch here would do fantastically. Same with a Sunrise Tacos.

Wittards of Chelsea is a good place and though high priced does offer excellent deserts and teas. However, they misjudged the market. Not so many hisos here, farang or Thai. Orangerie is also probably also not a good fit for Pattaya. I had a funny experience there. They have cuisines of many countries, with separate menus for each. The greeter there asked me where I come from. When I said America, she got pouty and had nothing to say to me. I wonder what she was thinking, as they have no American menu, she was probably trained to say, French?, we have a French menu here (of course French people only eat French food), maybe she thought I should be at the McDonalds, ha ha.

Edited July 10, 2008 by Jingthing

[whatchamacallit]

I cannot put my finger, specifically, on what I don't like but I just did not get a good feel for the place. At first I thought it was because there was nothing Thai, nothing cultural about it - it could have been in any major town/city.

I think "not user friendly" in this context means unwelcoming, characterless, dis-jointed, lacking ambience etc.

Forget Thai, Forget Cultural - what's that??!! The whole concept of an outdoor mall just doesn't work here PLUS there is NOT enough variety of vendors selling different and interesting stuff. It's same same, and boriiiiing!!!!!!!!!! The faux stone (Cement) floor looks unattractive, dirty and cheap!

[Chaimai]

I cannot put my finger, specifically, on what I don't like but I just did not get a good feel for the place. At first I thought it was because there was nothing Thai, nothing cultural about it - it could have been in any major town/city.

I think "not user friendly" in this context means unwelcoming, characterless, dis-jointed, lacking ambience etc.

Forget Thai, Forget Cultural - what's that??!! The whole concept of an outdoor mall just doesn't work here PLUS there is NOT enough variety of vendors selling different and interesting stuff. It's same same, and boriiiiing!!!!!!!!!! The faux stone (Cement) floor looks unattractive, dirty and cheap!

BORING ! - that was the word I was looking for. It is dull. The stones/water are featureless and do not compare with the mall in Chiang Mai, for example.

All in all 4/10 at best for The Avenue.