Blazon Shopping Center on 80th Street in Mandalay.

MANDALAY is often considered the centre of Myanmar traditional culture, slowly moving forward but still holding firmly onto its royal heritage. This is reflected in the former capital’s shopping culture: Until five years ago, this city of approximately one million residents was without a modern shopping centre – one of the symbols of Western consumer culture.

Blazon was the pioneer, opening its doors in 2003. It was followed by the ill-fated Sky Walk Shopping Mall, in 2006, and then 78 Shopping Centre in 2007. Many more are planned; this has possibly been accelerated by the fire that devastated Yadanarbon Market, including Sky Walk, earlier this year.

The February blaze has left 78 and Blazon as the only modern shopping centres in Mandalay but hasn’t dampened residents’ appetite for Western-style shopping.

Ko Naing Win Soe, manager of Blazon, said customers are now accustomed to the shopping centre experience and are expecting ever-higher standards from retailers and management.

“When Blazon first opened, Mandalay residents were not very familiar with this kind of shopping. But over the past five years, they have come to know the advantages and disadvantages of shopping centres and come to expect a particular standard of service and level of facilities,” said Ko Naing Win Soe.

Blazon, which is described as a “Department Store”, is operated by the Creation Myanmar company and spread across four levels. The ground floor is an Orange supermarket, first floor is men’s wear, second women’s wear and third floor children’s wear. It is opens from 9:15am to 8:45pm daily.

78 Shopping Center, situated on 78th street, is open from 9am to 9pm, closing only during Thingyan and occasionally for maintenance. The seven-storey shopping centre is particularly popular with young people because of the Happy World Amusement Centre on the fourth floor and the many retail outlets, which stock both branded clothes and also more reasonably priced gear.

U Soe Win Aung, the manager of 78 Shopping Center said Mandalay residents have voted with their feet and flocked to the city’s few shopping centres.

“[Generally] residents in a hot region like Mandalay prefer to shop in an air-conditioned building with attractively decorated shops. Because of this it hasn’t taken much time for them to become familiar with the shopping centre experience. Within one year, the number of visitors to 78 Shopping Center has increased 70 percent,” U Soe Win Aung said.

But to ensure the crowds keep coming, the centres frequently offer shopper promotions, particularly during Thadingyut, Christmas and Chinese New Year. 78 Shopping Center often runs small promotions and, according to management, will feature 16 separate promotions this month.

Ko Naing Win Soe said Blazon has also been striving to improve services for customers.

“We offer free delivery if our customers buy more than they can carry home and soon we will test a telephone shopping system, where customers can call up and order food that we deliver to their home. We tried to introduce it last year but it wasn’t so successful. But it should save our customers time and energy,” he said.

78 Shopping Center has been putting more emphasis on safety following the fire at Yadanarbon and Sky Walk Shopping Mall, which injured at least 21 people and caused billions of kyats damage.

U Soe Win Aung said management had ensured each level had two lifts, two escalators, two stairways and two fire exits. Blazon’s staff are also being trained in fire prevention every three months.

The company has plans to move the promotion area to the sixth floor, to lease out office spaces and to expand the retail area and meet growing demand.

In August, construction work began on a new seven-storey shopping centre to replace Yadanarbon Market, which was gutted by fire. The construction project is expected to be completed in three years.