V-Mart opens first hypermarket in Kashmir Valley

V-Mart today became the first leading hypermarket format retail chain of the country to open an outlet in the Kashmir Valley and plans to open five more outlets in the near future.

The retail company opened its showroom in the Srinagar city's commercial nerve centre, near Jehangir Chowk. The store offers groceries, ladies' wear, kids' wear, men's wear, footwear, accessories, luggage, crockery, home furnishing, kitchen appliances and plastic goods all under one roof, V-Mart general manager - Operations Jai Banerjee said.

"We want to make shopping a pleasant experience. We are planning to state five more stores in the state, which will also provide employment opportunity to the local youth and provide larger shopping opportunities," Banerjee said.

He said it was a "difficult decision" to start a showroom in the Valley because of its history, where conflict has taken a huge toll of the business sector.

"Our Managing Director was very keen on opening a store in Srinagar. You have to start the ball rolling somewhere," he said.

Banerjee said they have done basic market research of the Valley customers and have worked out their shopping preferences.

The owner of the mall where the showroom is located said the new retail chain culture will at least give a respite to shoppers from the traffic mess.

"When all things are available under one roof, no one will bother to go around," Mushtaq Ahmad Chayya, a leading hotelier and owner of the Sara City Centre Mall, said.