Khushboo Khosla's favourite weekend destination is Avani Riverside Mall. More so ahead of Diwali.

The 25-year-old entrepreneur lives on Gurusaday Road and often heads to the Howrah mall to catch a movie at PVR with friends or enjoy a family dinner at Machaan. She is not alone. Howrah's lone retail mall draws a sizeable share of its customers from across the river, thanks to a smooth drive along Vidyasagar Setu. Spread across 6lakh sq feet, the Jagat Banerjee Ghat Road mall in Shibpur is just a 15-minute drive from the heart of Calcutta.

East meets west

The catchment area of Avani is a curious combination of neighbourhoods in Howrah as well as Calcutta as it is well-connected by both the second Hooghly bridge and the Howrah bridge.

The mall records a footfall of 12,000 to 13,000 on weekdays, with the number rising to more than 15,000 on Fridays and Saturdays, according to the mall management. On Sundays, around 35,000 people throng the mall and the figure peaks at 50,000 to 60,000 on public holidays. "Around 35 per cent of the footfall is from Calcutta. The registration number of the cars parked in our mall are proof of the trend," said Subir Das, the COO-Riverside Mall, Avani Group.

Journey so far

The mall has survived its initial jitters and today, food, entertainment and movies bring the maximum footfall.

"When we started leasing out space in 2005, the area was undeveloped and we were taking a big leap of faith to give Howrah its first mall.... Initially people would just come for a dekko, it was like visiting a pandal but slowly we were able to convert them into customers."

With four upmarket housing complexes coming up within a one-kilometre radius of the mall on GT Road, Foreshore Road, Shalimar and Kona Expressway, Avani is poised to see a leap in footfall. "It means 5,000 families more," predicts Das.

Shop till you drop

The Wednesday Sab Se Sasta Din at Big Bazaar attracts hordes of crowds to Avani mall. SUVs packed with family members arrive at the mall from Ramrajatala, Bantra and Uluberia every Wednesday. "They come for a whole day's outing, shopping, eating out and a movie thrown in," Das said.

Manish Agarwal of Big Bazaar agreed that the store has been doing well in Avani. "It is giving us 20 per cent year-on-year growth. We operate both Big Bazaar and e-zone here and we are witnessing a steady growth in sales. There is a huge catchment area here with the densely populated Howrah town," he said.

Filmi funda

PVR, which opened in February 2012, remains another of the mall's top draws. Stepping into its fourth year at Avani, the multiplex has witnessed an exponential growth. "We had a footfall of 7 lakh in 2011-12. Our tickets are priced between Rs 165 and Rs 170 at Avani that is much cheaper than Calcutta. There are many who come from Calcutta to watch movies here. We also have customers from Belur and Uttarpara," said Swaraj Sadhu Khan of PVR.

For Gurjot Singh Gulati of Tollygunge Phanri, the chief attraction of Avani mall is the PVR. "I like the sound here and so I don't mind the drive. In fact, I enjoy the long drive with my fiancé. The first half of the journey is a bit congested but from Rabindra Sadan onwards, it's a pleasant ride," said the 28-year-old businessman who visits Avani almost every fortnight.

Fashion stop

From Bata to Biba, an array of brides across the price spectrum have stores at Avani mall and the response has been heartening for most.

Biba was happy to enter a virgin market and has been reaping benefits. "We have had a pretty good experience at Avani. There was an untapped market in Howrah. We were the second store to open in this mall and business has been encouraging. We have had a healthy 35 per cent year-on-year growth in Howrah," said Eklavya Niyogi of Biba.

The Mufti store at Avani also claims a climb in sales. "Footfall at the mall has increased and so have our sales. In 2013-14 we had an annual sale of Rs 1.20 crore and in 2014-15 it grew to Rs 1.4 crore. We get customers from Salkia, Liluah, and also from Calcutta," Gurpal Singh Walia of Mufti said.

Bata is hopeful of better business. "It is an upcoming mall. Having a store here allows us access to the customer base in Howrah. We are stressing on our sports collection and men's wear at our store," Saikat Ghosh of the footwear brand said.

Big bite

Pizzas or parathas, soups or sweets, there is something for every taste bud at Avani.

The Shibpur mall has been home to Flurys right from the start. Howrah residents no longer have to go all the way to Park Street for their favourite rum balls, lemon tarts or baba cake. "We have been present at Avani mall ever since its inception. It is our first and only destination across the river. Most of our customers are local residents. In fact, our Howrah clientele has stopped going to Park Street any more. Most of our popular items like beans on toast, corn on toast or breakfast are available here. The prices are lower than at our Park Street outlet. For example, if a sandwich costs Rs 256 at Park Street, it is priced at Rs 160 at Avani. This is because we have a counter at the food court," said Samit Ghosh, associate director, Flurys.

Gen Y's favourite stop is, of course, Pizza Hut. "We have had a 10 per cent growth this year. In fact our outlets in other malls aren't doing as well. We get a young crowd during the day and families in the evenings. During this festive season, it has been packed," said Arun Sharma, the regional market manager of Pizza Hut. Other bite stops at the mall include Machaan and Mainland China.

Bonus

It may have been coincidental that Howrah's first mall came in the same year - 2011 - as its police commissionerate was formed, in 2011 but the twin phenomena came as a boon for local residents, transforming the area. From a dark, unlit street home to goons, the double-lane road is now lined with bright lights and manned by a 24x7 police kiosk. "A pond in the neighbourhood has been beautified. Both Jagat Banerjee Ghat Road and Foreshore Road have been spruced up, the area is well-lit and infrastructure has improved," Das said.

During Christmas and New Year, Jagat Banerjee Ghat Road resembles Park Street with fairy lights and banners. "With Nabanna shifting, the area has been sanitised, taxis are willing to travel here. There is police patrol after 1am when the last movie show is over," Das said.