I recently got this email from a list serv and it got me all sorts of excited :
Dear All
For those who don't know, the supermarket chain SPAR have just opened their first "hypermarket" in Delhi last week.
I went to check it out today, and it does what it says on the tin: easy to negotiate, and you can buy anything from linen to groceries as you would in a large western supermarket, including fresh meats and fruits, a loose grains and nuts selection, kitchenware and a fair range of imported products selling at a bit cheaper than Le Marche/Modern Bazaar/Gourmet Food Bazaar.
Take your own bags unless you want to buy cloth bags at the check-out, and expect some of the staff to still be a bit new on credit-card payments and where things are stocked on the shelves.
It is pretty comprehensive: they even sell fresh milk, and the only items they did not have and I was looking for was dessicated coconut, mushrooms, and whole-grain bread.
SPAR is located in the basement of the Pacific Mall in Tagore Garden, which is in West Delhi just off the ringroad. They are planning to open a second hypermarket in Gurgaon in April.
Cheerio
So ... I did what any responsible friend would do ... and forwarded it to a couple of girls and asked if they'd heard anything about it. Soon we had planned a field trip of sorts and set out to explore SPAR.
One of the frustrating things about living here is sometimes locations and addresses are impossible to find. After we all spent WAY too much time looking on google for an answer to WHERE exactly this Pacific Mall was (not to mention Tagore Garden), we decided to wing it.
My driver called Linda's driver and they discussed and pondered ... and off we went.
We headed in the general direction of Tagore Gardens (easy enough) but when we got to that specific area, we quickly realized that the mall itself was SO new (just opened in January, 2011 we later found out) that NO ONE on the street new of it. We went down one road, made a u-turn and tried another. We all debated amongst ourselves on which way we should try next, and poor Ramesh spent most of his time with us that morning probably muttering under our breaths at the crazy women in his car!
We FINALLY spotted signs that said "PACIFIC MALL! PILLAR 464"
Ok ... Pillar 464? What the heck?
Then we spotted these :
So we get it now! The pillars are literally numbered. (Note : not all pillars are marked visibly as these "You." signs cover up most of the numbers ... but once you find one or two, you'll realize you're headed in the right direction as the sequence of numbers grows larger.
The excitement in the car when we spotted THIS was ridiculous :
But getting there was still no easy task. We pulled up to Gate 2 and found the guard there very unresponsive and unhelpful. He kept telling us that the gate didn't allow admission until 11:00, even though we knew the store opened earlier. After sitting there for what felt like forever, we decided to "go around the block" to find another gate. (Note : Gate 1!!!!)
Around the block in Delhi is not an easy feat. Winding roads, potholes, dodging bicycle rickshaws and this :
Finally we pulled up to a gate, where the guard smiled and giggled at us nervously, let us pass and we saw this :
and SHOPPING CARTS!
Seriously readers ... if you live in the United States (or a place where there are proper grocery stores) you will think that I am absolutely moronic in this post ...
If you live in Delhi ... get thee to SPAR! (there is nothing else quite like this in Delhi ... so forgive my excitement!)
I will let the photos do the talking, but know that you can *almost* find anything you need here ... automotive, kids toys (sparse, but ...), clothing, food, dried goods, household goods, beauty supplies, office supplies, etc.
They have a loyalty program that you can sign up for (we're not sure yet WHAT it offers, but ....) and they take debit/credit as well as cash.
NOTE : Be prepared if you visit that you may want to take along earplugs. The decibels at which they were pumping in the music was ... let's just say reminiscent of a night club. Thanks to the shopping carts that had 360 degree turn radius, we had ourselves some fun dancing in the aisles! It would make a GREAT flash mob setting!
On to the photos ::
Notice the fact that you could get TWO shopping carts wide in these aisles!!
This next photo made me smile. It truly IS problematic to try and move a gas cylinder (used for cooking) from one place to another ... so for Rs. 99 (about $2.50 USD) you can buy a strolley. Stroller + Trolley = Strolley!!
Cheddar Cheese for Rs 100 per kg! Eat that, Modern Bazaar!!
And these next couple of photos? This is purely ... well ... exciting. I have another word for it, but it's not appropriate to write on a blog post!
Now - checkout is not seamless. The cashiers (like the original email stated) are quite new on the system of processing credit or debit cards, but it was still relatively painless!
(Do you see that we were one of the few shoppers in the store that morning?)
And ... it is advisable to carry your own shopping bags ::
In that photo above, Pam looks as if she is strenuously pushing the cart up the moving walkway, when in fact, the grocery cart wheels have these funky grooves in them ::
Which means that the shopping carts magically "STICK" to the moving walkway and provide an effortless ride up to the main floor where the parking garage is!
Thanks girls, for a really, really fun field trip to SPAR!
NOW ... to recap ::
You need to head to Tagore Gardens (which is near Rajouri Garden).
View Larger Map
Then ... you need to follow the Pillar Numbers located on Shivaji Marg. Look for Pillar No. 464 and turn right.
Aim for Gate No. 1 !!
- It appears that SPAR opens at 10am ... although that information is debatable.
- Take your own shopping bags.
- Bring some earplugs if you're prone to dancing in the aisles and don't want to be embarrassed
- Take some friends - I have a feeling it's more fun!
- Clean out your car before you go ... you'll need the space!
- Plan for at least an hour. Plan for two hours, in fact!
~ ~ ~ Btw - please spread the word about SPAR to your friends if you're a Delhi-ite or a transplant here. They are in serious need of some marketing help ... and if all it takes to keep this store open and alive is YOU AND ME spreading the word, please help!
I'd be so so so very sad if SPAR only makes it a couple of months because they have no marketing geniuses to appropriately talk up the amazingness that this store has to offer!
