Shopping hubs in Chennai buzz again

CHENNAI: The buzz is back at most retail hubs in the city. Footfalls in places such as T Nagar, Purasawalkam and Anna Nagar are rising with every passing month, the icing on the cake being the rush to avail of ‘Aadi’ (July-August) discounts.
Staircases leading to showrooms of retail chain majors across T Nagar are full of shoppers with bags displaying images mirroring the pre-Covid situation.The city’s largest retail hub that normally registers an annual turnover of 50,000 crore is bustling with activity that is particularly intense on streets branching out of Usman Road. Ranganathan Street is, as always, the busiest.
In neighbouring Pondy Bazaar, most traders estimate 50% of customers have returned, while others registered 25% of walk-ins. This is significant, say traders, as window shopping has halted due people stepping out of homes to buy absolute essentials.
Traders say August has the best month for business since the beginning of the lockdown, with the most relaxations in restrictions. Traffic on commercial stretches like Theyagaraya Road at Pondy Bazaar and Second Avenue in Anna Nagar is near normal. Vijo George, a sales in-charge of a leading apparel shop at Anna Nagar, said the conversion rate of number of walk-ins has increased, though business dropped by 40%. “Before Covid-19, about 15% of walkins translated into business. Now, it is true for 40% of walk-ins,” he said.
Small and mid-level shopkeepers, too, acknowledge that business has standardised. R Anbumani, a furniture showroom proprietor, said there while things are getting back to normal, several customers remain scared about the virus. “Sustenance for shops with a small number of employees like us is convenient, but big retailers are the worst hit,” he said.
A salesman at a shop in Pondy Bazaar said 3-4 customers have been buying suitcases from the outlet every day since the beginning of this month. “It used to be at least 15 before the pandemic struck,” he added.