Shopping in Chennai

A shopaholic once said - �Shopping placates the mind�. And after your wonderful shopping experience in Chennai, you couldn’t agree with these words more. Chennai has something to offer to everyone, from handicrafts in Egmore to designer wear accessories in Nugambakkam Road to international brands in City Centre. Fondly deemed as the commercial hub of the country, Chennai’s shopping fame is not just restricted to its metalwork, woodcarvings, Pattamara mats and Tanjavuar paintings but extends to expensive silk clothing, precious jewelry and designer apparels. The best thing about shopping in Chennai is that you could shop for quite a lot of things even if you are on a budget, depending on your haggling skills. Today, Chennai has evolved as a major shopping destination in South India. Therefore, when you are in the city of Chennai, do make a point to explore the shopping arcades mentioned below and take home some lovely souvenirs.

Shopping Places in Chennai

Egmore
Tucked away from the centre of the city, Egmore is a well-known shopping destination in Chennai. Quite famous for its beautiful handmade craftwork, jewelry and handloom weaving, Egmore is home to city’s two of most popular handloom stores like Cane ‘n’ Bamboo and Co-optex. If you are looking to shop for handicraft items at a relatively low price, then Cane ‘n’ Bamboo is the place to go, as the prices here are relatively lesser as compared to other handloom emporiums in the city. When in Chennai, there is no way you can go back without purchasing a handloom silk sari. However, if you dread paying a bomb for it, then hopping into Co-optex can leave you spoilt for choice. Managed by a cooperative society, Co-optex sells Kanchipuram silk at an affordable price. Besides this, Egmore is also popular for its flea markets and street side shops. If you are in a mood to pamper yourself, then visiting the famous jewelry stores in Egmore should leave you with some precious buys.

Nugambakkam High Road
Khader Nawaz Khan Road is the best place to shop if you are brand conscious and love designer wears. This place boasts of popular designer boutiques run by Rehena, Chaitanya Rao, Rajesh Prathap Singh and Tarun Tahiliani, who are well know faces in Mumbai fashion circuits. Shops like Manmandir, Evoluzione and Wills Lifestyle also sells an exclusive collection of designer wear clothes. Besides this, the place is the home to a good variety of international labels such as Canary Blue, Marks & Spencer’s, and Van Heusen etc. Khader Nawaz Khan Road is the best place to shop for a classy trousseau and grab some latest accessories.

T Nagar
T Nagar is the best place to shop for brides-to-be. This place offers an extensive collection of ethnic wears and precious jewelry. It is also home to many Kanchipuram showrooms such as Nalli, Kumarans, Pothys and RMKV, which are popular for their silk collections. Pondy Bazzar located in T Nagar is well-known for its street vendors and is inarguably the best place to bargain in Chennai. While you are in T Nagar, make sure to visit Pangal Park and Usman Road that have an interesting clothing line and jewelry shops.

Other Shopping Places
If you are a person who prefers to shop in the comfort of an air conditioner and want to avoid the Chennai heat wave completely, then malls are the best place for you. Chennai has quite a few malls inside the city like City Centre mall, Spencer Plaza, Alsa Mall, Globus Emerald Plaza, Fountain Plaza, Burma Bazaar and Raahat Plaza that houses many international stores and designer showrooms.