The customary chant of customer is king might change to customer is queen 15 months from now. And forcing the loyalty shift would be the first ladies’ mall coming up in the city.

With theme malls becoming the latest craze, Calcutta would soon have its first mall targeted at women and stocking under one roof all products and accessories of their use.

Avani Galleria is coming up at 91A/1 Park Street, opposite St Xavier’s College.

Sprawled over an area of 1.25 lakh sq ft, the mall would be G+7, with basement parking. The product mix would be from Mango to Movado, and the aim would be to create a one-stop shopping solution for women.

“Concept malls would be the next big thing in our country. They help you understand the needs and wants of the target group and cater to the exact requirements,” says Anirudh Daga, director of Bengal Avani Global Projects Limited. “Women are the biggest spenders. Moreover, they take the final decision on most domestic matters. So it makes much more sense to focus a mall towards this section.”

The target of the mall would be upwardly-mobile, fashion-conscious women who keep track of ever-changing trends in the world of fashion and style.

The shift of focus towards women would not spell a no-entry board for men. They would have a section, though “quite small”, from where the woman can pick up a little something for her man.

But Avani Galleria would remain a shopping mall “for her”. It will be divided into various sections, each dealing with specific commodities and accessories. The product list will range from branded western outfits, sari brands, cosmetics, accessories like jewellery and watches. The mall would also have designer boutiques, salons, footwear options and eye-care products. “All steps would be taken to make the mall a one-stop shopping destination for women,” promises Daga.

Unlike Forum and City Centre, Avani Galleria would not boast of multiplexes and popular food courts. But it would have a cafeteria and a multi-cuisine restaurant. It would have two escalators on every floor and four high-speed elevators.

And lots of hopes are pinned on the location factor. “Park Street already has sari shops and women all over the city come to this area to shop. This was the primary reason. Secondly, because of its accessibility,” says Vimal Goel, director, Bengal Avani Projects Limited.

The nature of the mall ? of and for women ? demands special emphasis on security. “We would be having elaborate security arrangements and surveillance inside and outside the mall,” assures Goel.