KOCHI: Kochi's blossoming shopping culture is all set to peak with the coming of the much hyped Lulu Mall at Edappally in the city next year.Once operational, Lulu will house the best and biggest of brands in fashion, cosmetics, home furnishing, jewellery, cinema and food."We plan to open the mall by mid 2012. Leasing of the space is in full swing. Top class brands in the country will open their stores in the mall," says Lulu's Emke Group managing director M A Yousuf Ali.The mall will be anchored by Lulu Hypermarket and renowned brands like PVR Cinema and Westside, apart from several other fashion brands, will make their presence felt in the mall. The project also includes a 315-room luxury hotel by the Marriott group, first in Kerala, adjacent to the mall, with all top class facilities of spa, gym, swimming pool and banquet halls.Besides being the new face of Kochi, Lulu is also set to provide direct employment opportunity to over 8,000 people and an indirect employment chance to another 20,000 people. "It has been the dream of Emke Group managing director, Yousuf Ali to give back something to his home town. That is what has made Lulu, a project with a total cost of `1,500 crore, a reality," says Emke Group's communication manager, V Nandakumar. Though Lulu has just arrived in Kochi, the brand has had a long-standing association with the Malayali population through its numerous mega markets in the Middle-East, which the company believes will give it a head start here. 'The team is also very optimistic of the city's shopping potential. "With projects like Smart City and Vallarpadam coming, we expect a huge influx of new-gen working population in Kochi. Our mall will have everything that young people and families need," says Yousuf Ali. In addition to its other attractions, Lulu Mall will also have an ice-skating centre where children will be taught how to skate. The other highlight is a 4D cinema theatre. "We hope such facilities will add to our footfall potential," adds Ali.[email protected]
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