baht&sold Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 OK, so, I haven't been down from BKK to Hua Hin for a bit but I heard the new mall was due to have a soft opening this week? Anyone verify pls and where the h3ll is PB when he's needed? Report! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeaceBlondie Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 (edited) Reporting as ordered, SIR! The soft opening of Tesco Lotus and Home Pro and some other shops were on Friday. The entire stinkin' province and a million Bangcockians showed up for the grand official opening on Saturday. Even on Monday, it was crowded at noon, and mobbed at 6 pm. The Tesco is like the ones in BKK and Chiang Mai; bigger than many Tesco's in the UK and like a Wal-Mart or Super K-Mart in the USA. You got your Starbucks and two other coffee shops. You got your HomePro hardware store. You got your Mr. Donut, a Japanese restaurant or two, maybe a Chinese restaurant. You got your food court, jammed full with paying customers. Really, they must have shipped in customers by the busload. They're everywhere. Parking is okay, and coming right out the door, loaded down with a full shopping cart, we immediately flagged down a TUK TUK, three wheeler. Not yet open, so far as I can tell: Major Cinema, Major Bowling Alley, and various smaller stores. All nice and spiffy. Hua Hin arrives in the 21st century. Whoopee! Complete with 1.25 liter bottles of Pepsi Maxx, on sale for 19 baht. I bought 20 bottles. Edited February 20, 2006 by PeaceBlondie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colcol Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 where in HH is the new tesco supermarket? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sua yai Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 On Petchkasem Rd, heading south of town, on your right hand side. You can't miss it. It's the place that forgot to install traffic lights, so vehicles now heading south and wanting to make the U-turn back to the said store are queueing for 20 mins to do so. Oh yes, it's also the place with lots of official people blowing whistles at you, informing you the car park is full, so you've got to find somewhere about 1km away. And they've got lovely ladies taking your shopping out to your car, when you eventually retreive it from 1km away and then have to wait another 20 mins at the U-turn. Does that help. Chaos!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leti Posted February 23, 2006 Share Posted February 23, 2006 Major Cinema is open now! Most Movies are in Thai :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khun Jean Posted February 23, 2006 Share Posted February 23, 2006 Major Cinema is open now!Most Movies are in Thai :-( That is a bummer. I like going to the movies and was happy to hear there is one now in HuaHin. I hate hearing those same 5 voices in every dubbed movie or serie. I hope they change their mind and use the original soundtrack with subtitles. The both Thai and foreigners can enjoy the movies at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justwilliam Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 My wife and I visited the new Tesco Lotus on Wednesday morning, arrived about 10:30, made the aforementioned U-turn in 30 seconds, and parked in the basement car park within 50 feet of the supermarket trolley ramp. The store is fine, well-lit, with wide, uncluttered aisles, reasonable selection, good prices, etc. By the time we left it was quite crowded, both Thais and farangs. Seemed to be about half the size of the Big C in Phetchaburi (where we live). We also visited the HomePro, which is good to have around, although like all HomePro's it is woefully inferior to its counterparts in farangland. We had lunch in the Japanese restaurant on the second floor (US terminology), where the food, service and prices were perfectly acceptable. Hua Hin is growing extremely rapidly, and we think this Market Village complex is long overdue and will be a huge success. Try not to go in the evenings or weekends, when it will likely be uncomfortably crowded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baht&sold Posted February 28, 2006 Author Share Posted February 28, 2006 Thx for the reports JW and PB et al. I saw the big glossy insert in the Bkk Post today, looks fantastic (I almost threw it away as I do all those annoying glossy wraps or inserts in the papers) Interesting, the ownership states an alliance with a subsidiary of Land and Houses Public Co Ltd, Thai-NVDR Co Ltd and AIA (American International Assurance Co Ltd). I'm always curious as to what Co's are investing in these kinds of projects. Looks like an all out winner and not 'just another' suburban strip mall. A touch of style as one would expect in Royal Hua Hin. Think I'll pop down this week (for sure this time) to have a look - good excuse as any to escape Bkk Last, you are a bunch of lucky @#%& who get to live there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomchaam Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 The Market Village is fabulous...compared to what we had before it opened. The cinema is OK ... I saw Memoirs of a Geisha. Harrison Ford in Firewall is coming up soon. The MK is great...waiting for Black Canyon to open soon. 12 NEW restaurants in the Mall. My friend and I were the first customers this morning at the new Starbucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeaceBlondie Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 Only because I was downtown the other day, I stopped into the old center supermarket, the Vanna Prannee. What a dump that always was, and now there are virtually no customers. Such as, four empty cashier stations. Only the usual helpless stock clerks clogging the aisles, instead of 99 Scandanavians and one Scot. I bought 39 bottles of Pepsi Maxx, 1.25 liter. Manager thought I was going to resell them. Nope, that's a thirteen day supply. Parking a motorcycle is troublesome, unless you weigh 30 kilos or 2.46 stone, and ride a narrow 100cc Honda Wake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phyco Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 Only because I was downtown the other day, I stopped into the old center supermarket, the Vanna Prannee. What a dump that always was, and now there are virtually no customers. Such as, four empty cashier stations. Only the usual helpless stock clerks clogging the aisles, instead of 99 Scandanavians and one Scot. I bought 39 bottles of Pepsi Maxx, 1.25 liter. Manager thought I was going to resell them. Nope, that's a thirteen day supply. Parking a motorcycle is troublesome, unless you weigh 30 kilos or 2.46 stone, and ride a narrow 100cc Honda Wake. can somebody tell me what homepro sells as i take possesion of house end april and have to fully furnish it.would like to know if is worth a visit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baht&sold Posted March 5, 2006 Author Share Posted March 5, 2006 (edited) I'm in Hua Hin and heading over to the new mall later today and will check it out. Homepro is apparently 60,000 sq feet so, one assumes it's fully stocked (we'll see). Read a report it cost 100 mil to build (the homepro) including the land and they took in 10 mil baht on opening day. If accurate, that's pretty fair ROI. I stopped into the old center supermarket, the Vanna Prannee. What a dump that always was, and now there are virtually no customers. Such as, four empty cashier stations. Only the usual helpless stock clerks clogging the aisles, instead of 99 Scandanavians and one Scot. Couldn't agree more PB! I like to support 'local' shops but these guys have been taking the p!ss for years, unwilling to change, upgrade (never even cleaned the place) or even appear to care or have even the slightest interest in their previously 'captive' customers and I don't feel a bit sorry for them. Edited March 5, 2006 by baht&sold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baht&sold Posted March 6, 2006 Author Share Posted March 6, 2006 Ok, checked it out (still here in fact;) Homepro- seems to have everthing from the usual robertons and phillips to full on furniture. Eg: Sofa, arm chair & glass table 16,000 baht special (faux leather mind you). Biggest asst of lawnmowers Ive seen anywhere in Thailand but then, most ppl here are homeowners vs condo dwellers. Saw a proper gas/lava rock BBQ, huge thing- 17,000. Then there's jaccuzi tubs -someone in another thread mentioned putting one on their balcony and running it as a 'cool jacuzzi' great idea;) The mall itself- very nicely laid out, half indoors (aircon) half out (covered roof, shops aircon, 3 level promenade not). Well planned 'exhibition area' in the center/back courtyard where they had a live entertainment show. Loads of restaurants, Fuji and the ubiquitous Sizzler, plus the usual fare (starbucks, KFC, Pizza, a new steak joint etc, etc). All in all, this mall has style, minimalist designs, open and airy and personality lacking in other malls like paragon. I really like the free shuttle from all over town and the mall for the short trip (10 mins tops). Hua Hin really needed this and it sets a new standard for shopping 'malls'- being quite large but appearing and feeling like a boutique, ok, a very, very large boutique. Thumbs up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kan Win Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 Photos From Yours truly, Kan Win Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
think_too_mut Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 Finally, someone who can afford and knows how to operate a camera, drove past the mall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baht&sold Posted March 9, 2006 Author Share Posted March 9, 2006 Finally, someone who can afford and knows how to operate a camera, drove past the mall. Hey Mutt, didn't realise there was a photo essay required. Maybe get off yer arse and get some shots yourself next time you're curious? I did get some shots of properties tho if you're interested BTW, to Kan Win, great job I might add, as always Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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