Visual Merchandising and Retail Design – July 2019

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RETAIL YATRA

INDORE

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Call it the cleanest city in India, Food Paradise or Namkeen capital, there’s no escaping

the fact that Indore has many charms and many ways to win your heart. The city that

is popular for its Poha and Jalebi, history, lifestyle, waterfalls, and love for Cricket is our

next Retail Yatra destination.

VM&RD’s Retail Yatra is a special section dedicating to mapping tier 2/3 retail markets

in the country. This year we choose Indore – reportedly the largest and most populous

city in Madhya Pradesh. Besides being the district headquarters, Indore is also an

education hub and by the looks of it, is also fast emerging as a retail hub. Selected

as one of the first twenty cities to be developed as Smart Cities, Indore has also

been officially ranked as India’s cleanest city for 3 years in a row,as per the Swachh

Survekshan. Being the commercial capital of Madhya Pradesh, Indore is also witness

to large scale business activities on a daily basis.

So it was with high expectations and a brief R&D that we arrived at Indore to get a

sense of the retail scape in the city, meeting retailers across categories - lifestyle, luxury,

F&B, and electronics. These are retailers who have not just made a mark through their

disruptive business ideas, but have also made ‘Indorians’ proud with their innovative

business ideas and social zeal.

It was thus a pleasant surprise to learn that the Indore market has an eclectic range to

offer its customers - from street shops to branded showrooms.

Also, what struck us right from our very first encounter with Indore’s retailers was their

warmth and friendliness. It’s a city where first generation hospitality meets 2nd & 3rd

generation dynamism and zeal. Huge spaces, appealing designs, attractive facades,

good infrastructure, and homegrown products all add hues and variety to this city’s

retail scape.

Take a look at the next few pages as we take you through the journey of some

prominent retailers we met in Indore.

Where old world charm meets

new age zeal

Mohit Manghani

July 2019