The Avenue Shopping Mall

[vickersvc10]

Yes, the cinemas at The Avenue are all alive and well. Thank goodness as I have vowed never to go to the two in the Ryal Garden again. Too many cock-ups, lousy sound, blank screens for my limited patience.

[BugJackBaron]

Yes, the cinemas at The Avenue are all alive and well. Thank goodness as I have vowed never to go to the two in the Ryal Garden again. Too many cock-ups, lousy sound, blank screens for my limited patience.

Sure but at 70 to 80 baht a movie in Royal Garden, by God, the price is right

Another thing I like is the Heiniken beer they serve there...not sure if Avenue has that..

Edited October 3, 2008 by BugJackBaron

[CGW]

Was in the avenue today and saw that they were loading the interior from Miss Saigon into a truck.Is it just me or can you hear an echo when you walk around in the shopping area.For sure there isn't much left anymore then a couple of ex-pole dancers who have been upgraded to real estate salespersons on the ground floor.

Wondering how long it will take before it gets demolished.

Bet its MANY years before its knocked down, there are so many buidings around town that should be demolished, yet they are still vacant, first you have to double the rents and wait for the punteres to come pouring in!

[LennyW]

Normally when a mall opens a few businesses go under or leave.

It is usually the small independents, who are not in a position to negotiate good terms and the rent eveentually ccripples them. At this point the big boys move in and force the owners to rent to them at better rates. They get a pre-built base for their operations and the owner gets a full building....the customer....well he gets less chioce and a boring arcade to walk round.

BTW - if you want to see a really sad project, just pop up to Big C on Sukhumvit....their car park is always empty....a huge placce and it must take a fraction of what they take in the Big C on 2nd road.

The car park under the building is usually full - out of the sun!, i guess the one you can see from Sukhumvit is an overspill.

[gk10002000]

That mall is a big block and is ugly. Pattaya was nice because it had a mix of sidestreets and malls. It is so over-malled now. I can get malls anywhere. I like to wander around a bit. Pattaya was a nice mix. It gave one a choice other than rural agricultural areas upcountry or metropolitan Bangkok. It had all the modern things one could want. Big C, Carre 4, Tesco, Garden Mall, and Mike's. Just don't need much more in a mall.

I assume that those of you that have shopped around a bit, notice that so many stores carry the exact same brands of clothes. More stores add little. Knock the place down and go back to small scale stuff.

[desertrat]

Where is this place?

[tropo]

........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.

It's hard to feel sympathy for anyone running a linen store in the Avenue Complex (and most of the other stores for that matter). It should have been pretty obvious that it wouldn't work there.

[tropo]

The "new" mall would also benefit as the long-term trend is to kick-out the naughty places from prime beach front locations and the sois running between Beach and 2nd roads. It's only a matter of time when sois 7/8, Post Office, and Yamoto are redeveloped into hotels and other more upscale uses than their present ones. Malibu Bar across from Avenue has already been demolished and is being redeveloped. Over time, Post Office all the way to the Beach will likely go the same way.

I've been hearing this story for years and I'm not buying it. Most "naughty places" in Pattaya occupy prime real estate and most of the development is remodeling and refurbishing such establishments, not kicking them out.

Have a look down Soi 7/8. They're renovated one of the gogo bars near the beach and one of the busiest beer bar complexes in the last few months.

Pattaya will never be anything without the "naughty places". It's the lifeblood of this town.

[vickersvc10]

And now for some good news about The Avenue! I was very happy to see today that Bookazine is currently constructing its new shop, which will be next door to Au Bon Pain. Oh yes, and the fountain (still being tested) looks good.

[MeetJohnDoe]

Additional retail casualties...I see the Geox shoe store has closed and the Smile shop inside Villa Market has closed as well. Kinda sad seeing a new retail mall fail in real time

[redman]

Isn't St Niels the saviour of The Avenue?

[paul1970]

I think they should get rid of all the retail units and convert them all into chrome pole shops and the avenue into a mini Nana Plaza kind of place that should get the punters through the door.

[MeetJohnDoe]

I think they should get rid of all the retail units and convert them all into chrome pole shops and the avenue into a mini Nana Plaza kind of place that should get the punters through the door.

I agree and suggested as much when the place first opened and looked like a turkey. It has the perfect bones for an entertainment plaza. Basically a spruced-up Nana Plaza. Leave the Restos, banks, and Villa on the ground floor (good monger tucker and of course, guys need to get their purple and grey girl coupons from the ATMs), movie theatre and bowling likewise provide entertainment for "newly introduced couples" and are good for getting the GFE off to a good start.

Ground floor fountain turns into a "Pattaya mermaid" swimming pool or worlds largest show-jacuzz, beer-bars on rest of ground floor and i2nd and 3rd floors are go-gos and ST hotel or two.

This would turn the mall into a real money spinner and dovetails with the effort to move these entertainment businesses away from the prime real estate along beach road.

[bartender100]

I went into Villa at about 10pm recently, and i was the only customer in the place, and the 24 hour diner was empty too.

They must be hurting, as the place was well staffed

[salty]

I hope the ten pin bowling is alive and kicking. I bowl every day with new and old introduced ladies. Always a great way to spend a hour or two.

[TheWalkingMan]

Isn't St Niels the saviour of The Avenue?

I know he is trying to promote foot traffic by opening the tourist kiosk (of course he gets a cut of all bookings), Muay Thai on Friday nights and some type of dancing on Sunday nights. The idea is to produce more foot traffic with these evening activities, and maybe people will visit during other times and spend the cash. But I think, as a shopping mall, this place is a lost cause. It really looks bad with all the shops boarded up.

My vote is for a Nana Plaza type place... Grab that guy who sells burgers in front of NP and get him to Pattaya for the grand opening.

[Spalpeen]

I think they should get rid of all the retail units and convert them all into chrome pole shops and the avenue into a mini Nana Plaza kind of place that should get the punters through the door.

Now yer talkin' !

[Michaelaway]

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).

There was a strange-looking ice cream shop in front- to the right, as you walk into Villa Mkt.- Never saw anybody 'cept the scooper girl there. It went out a couple of months ago (leaving a strange-looking empty space). Too bad, really. I'm pulling for anyone who starts a business to succeed!! But........... looking around here, some people's idea of a good business, location, pricing structure, whatever- is just plain wierd! Anyway, good luck to all...

[MeetJohnDoe]

There was a strange-looking ice cream shop in front- to the right, as you walk into Villa Mkt.- Never saw anybody 'cept the scooper girl there.

That was the New Zealand Naturals ice-cream shop. At their prices, it was doomed from the start...there is already quite a bit of good ice-cream available in Pattaya in all price ranges and I don't think there is room really for another brand/chain.

Besides, whoever does the site selection for that chain is really star-crossed (ok...their an idiot)...as they recently opened another branch on Walking Street. Unfortunately, it's about 2/3rds way up from the Beach Road entrance and past the two Italian geleto-type places and across the street from a "Turkish" ice-cream stand. By the time anyone gets to their store, they've most likely already stopped at the earlier places if they were so inclined to have a cone...so I've never seen anyone in their store.

[Asianrider]

Villa's 24hr cafe has been a lifesaver a couple of times, great place to shop in the middle of the night ...... no one there !!