Save the Prom......any ideas?

[jaideeguy]

CM finally has a new and different mall.............. 'The Promonada', not the cookie cutter type that the others are that is the same same once you're inside, but truly a spacious and unique setting that is quite relaxing and enjoyable to visit. The problem is that we may loose it soon, as it is quickly becoming a ghost mall with the tenants leaving daily.

I love the fact that I can be assured easy covered parking at all times of the day and it's great to eat a great meal at Dukes, catch a movie with the whole theater to yourself, then do a quick shop at the best Rimping in CM on your way out

If anyone would like to give some serious input into how we can save 'The Prom', your ideas would be appreciated and hopefully heard by the management of the best mall that I've ever visited.

[whatsupdoc]

Empty one building and ask IKEA to come and fill it?

Make it an amusement park with lots of kids activities?

[Chicog]

Cut the rents and cut the prices.

[Smiles]

All TV members will buy anything at 'The Promonada' - from food to clothing to household fixtures etc

Hair cut , entertainment and dinning.

If so many TV members here show this kind of support , 'The Promonada', will prosper and no worry of closing down anytime soon...

Unfortunately , price range and personal preference will not make this possible.

It is up to the management team there to make sure that 'The Promonada' has a constant flow of interesting activities to attract the crowd.

[MESmith]

http://www.chiangmaifest.com/cmf2014/ this weekend

[HooHaa]

Empty one building and ask IKEA to come and fill it?

Make it an amusement park with lots of kids activities?

yes, every mall needs an anchor. with out the big draw the little guys die

[mamborobert]

Relocate the Loi Kroh bars

Edited February 26, 2014 by mamborobert

[bluweyze]

I think one of the problems with the Prom is that they are in competition against a strong professional competitor who most probably will have put a great deal of effort to 'persuade' prospective tenants not to operate from Prom. It is alleged a similar thing happened at Jung Ceylon in Phuket until it was sold to a Singaporean company - a customer of the competitor and only then did Robinson move in and start the salvation of that mall.

This is not the USA or Europe with their strong anti-monopolistic laws and I have no doubt some strong practices took place to scupper Promenada's start. Once the mall is lacking tenants a viscous circle kicks in.

I hope Promenenada survive but I believe they need a strong attractive 'anchor' tenant but the two obvious possibilities Central and Robinson's are very unlikely to move in at this stage because of their ownership.

[Ulysses G.]

This is what happens when so many shopping malls, selling mostly the same things, open at the same time in the same general area. It was not hard to predict.

[khwaibah]

This was talked about from 2009 on ward. Due some Googleing. It was projected to fail.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/446316-dutch-firm-invests-in-chiang-mai-resort-mall/

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/429183-new-mall-in-cm/

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Relocate the Loi Kroh bars

Promenana Plaza!

[eyecatcher]

Location location location

Every Brit knows this phrase.

Its your key to selling your house, increasing property value and running a successful business.

It was key in my initial business set up, but did promenada consider it.

I have never been there, the reason.....I don't live there, Its too far when 4 malls are nearer to most people, and the negative comments on here, what's to go for?

Who are their customers, maybe the few expats living within 5 minutes, certainly tourists will not go, and those hundreds of new houses allegedly bought by the Bang Cocky ones...well they don't live here so why shop.

Sad but if the rats are already leaving the sinking ship then you don't want to be Wallace Hartley with his violin do you.

[eyecatcher]

Location location location

Every Brit knows this phrase.

Its your key to selling your house, increasing property value and running a successful business.

It was key in my initial business set up, but did promenada consider it.

I have never been there, the reason.....I don't live there, Its too far when 4 malls are nearer to most people, and the negative comments on here, what's to go for?

Who are their customers, maybe the few expats living within 5 minutes, certainly tourists will not go, and those hundreds of new houses allegedly bought by the Bang Cocky ones...well they don't live here so why shop.

Sad but if the rats are already leaving the sinking ship then you don't want to be Wallace Hartley with his violin do you.

[jaideeguy]

Agree that location is not the best for most in CM............for me, it is the most convenient mall and therefore my interest in seeing it survive. In the LONG RUN, if the [too many] moobaans on the outer San Kampheng road are successful then it may prosper and patronage from the expat population may help a little if they want to cater to us. Dukes and Fuji seem to be doing better than most of the way too many Asian restaurants on the 3rd floor and the food court has really been a flop because of the [high rent] and lack of business. We were there at 12:30 and there was only one other table with 3 customers and they looked like employees.

Maybe lower rents would attract more vendors and a larger lunch crowd??

[CNXBKKMAN]

I have never been to Promonada. I live near Chiang Mai gate. Am I missing anything? Is there any need to go there? I only ever go to KSK and airport plaza if I need a mall.

I actually went Maya for the first time a couple of days ago and only because I was visiting the bike shop across the road. After my 10 minute visit I thought the only reasons to visit again were basement area to get something to eat, Yamazaki bakery shop( not as good as airport plaza as the bread had been standing on the shelves longer and wasn't as fresh - not as many customers) and the cinema. With the traffic I doubt I will ever go back. I have central festival on my bucket list but you can't do everything.

[Oscar2]

Agree that location is not the best for most in CM............for me, it is the most convenient mall and therefore my interest in seeing it survive. In the LONG RUN, if the [too many] moobaans on the outer San Kampheng road are successful then it may prosper and patronage from the expat population may help a little if they want to cater to us. Dukes and Fuji seem to be doing better than most of the way too many Asian restaurants on the 3rd floor and the food court has really been a flop because of the [high rent] and lack of business. We were there at 12:30 and there was only one other table with 3 customers and they looked like employees.

Maybe lower rents would attract more vendors and a larger lunch crowd??

right. seen the same thing at the food court when we were there the last 2 times. no more than 3-4 other diners at peak meal times. no doubt the food court will fail any day. the Asian restaurants are ghost towns. but Dukes has been completely packed each time we were there. looks to me like the hair salon charging 2500 Baht for a man's haircut is lacking business too. no surprise. and the pushy Israeli woman selling Dead Sea salt is beyond desperate. love Rimping there though! but it seems they have cut back on exotic stocks as well. somebody did not do their homework when planning this place.

[jaideeguy]

Agree that location is not the best for most in CM............for me, it is the most convenient mall and therefore my interest in seeing it survive. In the LONG RUN, if the [too many] moobaans on the outer San Kampheng road are successful then it may prosper and patronage from the expat population may help a little if they want to cater to us. Dukes and Fuji seem to be doing better than most of the way too many Asian restaurants on the 3rd floor and the food court has really been a flop because of the [high rent] and lack of business. We were there at 12:30 and there was only one other table with 3 customers and they looked like employees.

Maybe lower rents would attract more vendors and a larger lunch crowd??

right. seen the same thing at the food court when we were there the last 2 times. no more than 3-4 other diners at peak meal times. no doubt the food court will fail any day. the Asian restaurants are ghost towns. but Dukes has been completely packed each time we were there. looks to me like the hair salon charging 2500 Baht for a man's haircut is lacking business too. no surprise. and the pushy Israeli woman selling Dead Sea salt is beyond desperate. love Rimping there though! but it seems they have cut back on exotic stocks as well. somebody did not do their homework when planning this place.

Yes, Rimping seems to be cutting back on some stock. I do hope that they can hang in there and agree with the pushy Israeli women and men are a bit pushy.............we give them a wide berth when exiting. Wondering if they have up to date work permits??

I do hope that the Prom can hang in there for these upcoming hot months ahead, as it is a much more pleasant experience than the other cookie cutter malls, but they must have a heck of an electric bill keeping that place cool.

Maybe they could take advantage of the circus like architecture and turn it into a mini zoo??

[Tokay]

I went there twice and I probably won't be going back. Unless you have a car, it's just not practical to go there, especially with two new malls in the city. The idea was a good one, but Chaing Mai can't support mall after mall, especially one in the boonies so to speak.

Perhaps if I lived near it I would sing a different tune, but for those of us near the city or in it, it just doesn't make sense to go there.

Maybe turn it into a driving range, indoor sports area, giant kids play center, indoor / outdoor water park, or something along those lines, making it an activity center. As it stands, it doesn't offer anything that the other malls that are closer don't have besides being more spacious.

[Greenside]

Actually, the IKEA idea is the soundest solution. Lowering rents only attracts the 2nd tier retailers and that would soon leave the area looking like the back side of KSK. The position is OK but it was always going to be a struggle until those developments along the main road get populated and the new owners have equipped their homes with the basics - who's going to be shopping for Labels before they do the curtains and matresses?

What the city doesn't need is a major failure in any sector. Dent the confidence of all those people who paid 5% down for their off plan condo and many might just decide to take the loss rather than take on the debt.

[Tokay]

Maybe they could take advantage of the circus like architecture and turn it into a mini zoo??

That's not a bad idea if CM can support two zoos. I personally am not a fan of the current zoo.

[Oscar2]

Actually, the IKEA idea is the soundest solution. Lowering rents only attracts the 2nd tier retailers and that would soon leave the area looking like the back side of KSK. The position is OK but it was always going to be a struggle until those developments along the main road get populated and the new owners have equipped their homes with the basics - who's going to be shopping for Labels before they do the curtains and matresses?

What the city doesn't need is a major failure in any sector. Dent the confidence of all those people who paid 5% down for their off plan condo and many might just decide to take the loss rather than take on the debt.

IKEA is an excellent idea but even as spacious as the mall is, it is not nearly big enough for IKEA. the IKEA i used to frequent in Europe is massive . there is nothing here in C.M. that compares to the size of the operation. a mini IKEA would not work. IKEA is IKEA (fantastic, successful company). i agree, a failure like that would put a dent in the confidence of investors. how long can they hang in there? can you imagine the electric bill each month? especially with the hot season coming up. what? several million Baht?

[PostmanPat]

Jeez! I think the original poster must be the owner or major shareholder of PromEnada! As discussed at various times on here, the place is a disaster happening right in front of our eyes! Its only worth going there if you want to visit an optician (about five next door to each other), have a coffee in one of the twenty or so coffee shops (most next door to each other), then maybe some pharmacy products (four within a stones throw of each other in the rimping building).

No department store in there, Rimping dimly lit and not as well stocked as Nim City, a whole bunch of the junk market type wagons littering the place.....need I go on?

Extremely disappointing and sad to see. Surely, any new mall has a planning concept to spread the brands where necessary but to pull them together where necessary (such as an IT floor), but Promenada seems to have no forward thought at all, just open it up to anybody, anywhere, and wait for profit to flood in. Its a cruel market out there right now, all over the world, and leaving it all to chance and assumption just isnt the way to work in my view.

[BarnicaleBob]

I go to the Prom. because the prices although somewhat high are a lot less than the other two new malls. I also enjoy how easy it has become to find convenient parking there and the fact that it is not crowded. Good movie theater as well. I hope they find a way to stay open.

[PostmanPat]

I go to the Prom. because the prices although somewhat high are a lot less than the other two new malls. I also enjoy how easy it has become to find convenient parking there and the fact that it is not crowded. Good movie theater as well. I hope they find a way to stay open.

Really? Prices a lot less? where please tell !! Uniqlo, Rimping, Fuji, Sports World, etc have standard prices across all their branches in Chiang Mai, Wine Connection is more expensive because at Prom you are required to buy wine for at least 500 baht otherwise they charge for the glasses to drink it, which they do not at Nim City!!

[fatdrunkandstupid]

[worgeordie]

Torch it and collect the insurance,its the only way the owners

are going to recoup their investment.

regards worgeordie

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I think Prom is by far the most civilized experience you can have in a mall in Thailand.

I think they should try to get more of the long time Chiang mai businesses, for example they could have the best book store (& office supplies) in town, run by either DK or Suriwong. Electronics and appliances, perhaps run by Siam TV.

And maybe something in home decor. And specialty stores; Sports goods, bicycles, a baby/kids store incl. children's clothes & shoes.

Combine that with Toys R Us that's already there, Rim Ping is already the best, some good restaurants and the banks and so on and then it's interesting enough by then to fill the rest up with small shops that sell clothes, phone accessories and whatever else.

Edited February 26, 2014 by WinnieTheKhwai

[NancyL]

Why should I want to "Save the Prom" -- they never seriously courted my business or the business of the others who chose to live a car-free life in the central city. There was some vague promise of shuttle service upon opening and then people were stranded at the mall, forced to pay hundreds of baht to get back into town -- if they could find song thaews at all. (We were stupid enough to go to a late movie there once and the management had to call a taxi for us)

Nope, that mall never wanted our business and now we're shopping where we're wanted -- at Maya Mall and, I must admit, I keep going back to good old Kad Suan Kaew, yes it's old and frumpy -- but most of the time it delivers the goods.

Edited February 27, 2014 by NancyL

[FolkGuitar]

I actually passed by this mall... once. I live in town. When I want something from a shopping mall, there are two within walking distance, and two more brand new malls just a 5 minute drive away. If the owners were smart enough to draw in at least ONE unique business it might be a different story, but what is there that I can't find closer?

It's a beautiful building from the outside. It may be beautiful on the inside too, but I doubt I'll ever see it. If I want a relaxing place to visit, I'll go to a park, a lake, or a waterfall. I go to shopping malls to shop, not hang out.

[jaideeguy]

a few random ideas that came to mind over night.............

Continue with the circus theme and have trapeze artists swinging from the high rafters??

Winnie had some good suggestions, which we have thought of before......................a mega book and stationary shop,

appliance shops to service the new moobaans out that way.

A well equipped kitchen appliance shop would be great..........

A better electronics/IT plaza.............Chi Chang needs some competition.

or my best idea of the night would be for Thai Immigration to take over the mall and provide good parking, more office space and a lot more happy officers and patrons.

And for the record, I have no financial interest in the 'Prom'.................................just want to see it work.