Kuantan Shopping Centers and Malls

"So.. let's go shopping at the Kuantan shopping centers and malls."

Shopping always gives me great fun and much delights, like everybody else, but not when the credit cards have to be paid.

Although Kuantan is said to be the most modern town in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, there are actually very few established and big (in relative terms) shopping centers and malls in town.

Shoppers to these Kuantan shopping centers and malls come not only from the smaller towns and villages in the vicinities of this capital city of Pahang, but also from the neighbouring northern east coast states of Terengganu and Kelantan.

It may be a long drive to Kuantan from Kota Bharu or Kuala Terengganu, but Kuantan is perhaps currently just a little more developed or "urbane" than the other east coast towns in the states of Terengganu and Kelantan.

And maybe the Kuantan shopping centers and malls have just a bit more variety in terms of current shopping and fashion trends and merchandise items.

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Well, a town or city must have shops and shopping malls, perhaps not only for shopping and window-shopping, but also for the young ones to lounge and loaf around with friends, a phenomenon known as "lepak" in Malay.

I remember in the early 1980’s there was only Kompleks Teruntum as the most modern shopping center in town.

Supermarkets, like the Ocean Supermarket and big, extended shop-lots at Jalan Tun Ismail were the other places we mostly did our shopping, besides the traditional retail shops along the old established roads of Kuantan.

Later other shopping centers like Kuantan Parade and Parkson Grand came up and established themselves, with Berjaya Megamall, the biggest and perhaps the most popular and patronized shopping mall in Kuantan today.

The Giant Hypermarket chain, offering fresh food and household products and items at reasonable prices, with food stalls, restaurants and other retail wares located in its premises, quickly established itself as one of Kuantan shopping centers popular location.

I describe below, in brief, the main Kuantan shopping centers and malls that visitors may go to shop or relax when they are in town.

There are other well established shopping centers that I will show later in another web-page.

BERJAYA MEGAMALL

The Berjaya Megamall in Kuantan fronts Jalan Tun Ismail, and is located in an established shopping area where there are rows of shop-houses and shops, restaurants, clinics, banks, a specialist hospital, hotels and others.

This newest and biggest of the Kuantan shopping centers contains shops selling many different varieties of merchandise and items, offering good options and choices for visitors.

For the gourmand and lovers of food, they can find all kinds of food shops, from the small ice-cream parlor to the specialty shops and franchise fast food outlets with the famous and popular ones like Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), McDonalds, Kenny Rogers Roasters, Pizza Hut and also local popular food cafes and franchised outlets like Deli France.

For women, there are specialty shops for shoes, dress boutiques, handbags and leather goods, jewelries, branded watches, and other items can be found at Berjaya Megamall.

Among others, Vincci, Giorsardi, Bonia, Carlo Rino, Parkson Grand, Watsons and the Body Shop, all have an outlet for the fashion conscious town folks to make their branded buys.

Of course, compared to Kuala Lumpur, or other major shopping cities of the world, the shops do not have varieties of stock to choose from, but it should look expensively "branded" and should suffice for those fashionable ladies in town.

There is a Parkson outlet and a Tesco supermarket at the first floor level of the building where household food items can be obtained at reasonable prices.

The cineplexes, a somewhat popular location with the young in Kuantan, are located on the fifth floor of the building, and they always show the latest English films, as well as Hindi, Chinese and local film productions.

There is also a popular bowling alley at this mall, where bowlers in Kuantan normally meet and tournaments are held. The bowling event of Malaysian celebrities in the popular annual Fiesta Media Idola, were held at the lanes here.

KUANTAN PARADE

This shopping complex which can be accessed either from Jalan Mahkota or Jalan Penjara, has two wings and contains a combination of small and big retail outlets with arrays and varieties of merchandise and sale items.

The main or anchor tenant in this complex building is The Store, which stocks and offer many varieties of items, from household goods to fresh groceries and food, fruits, clothings, stationeries and other personal goods.

This is perhaps the second most popular shopping center in Kuantan next to Berjaya Megamall.

KOMPLEKS TERUNTUM

Located at Jalan Mahkota fronting the MPK field, this is the tallest building in town and is easily visible when visitors first reach Kuantan from Jalan Gambang.

This building houses many small shop-lots at the first three floors. As one of the popular Kuantan shopping centers, they offer varied products and merchandise items, including services like hair saloons and tailoring.

A popular cinema is located on the fourth floor, with tennis courts and other games located at the open roof-top area.

From the fifth floor onwards to the 22nd floor, office premises of the Pahang state agencies and private companies occupy the building.

Being the highest building currently in Kuantan, and the first modern shopping complex when it was established in the early 1980’s, the place is also popular with those with WIFI enabled laptops because there are hotspots for internet access available on the ground floor.

GIANT HYPERMARKET

One place where Kuantan folks love to do their shopping for household goods and fresh foodstuffs is the Giant Hypermarket. It is located at Jalan Gambang just before the bridge near the Tanah Putih area.

As it offers rather cheaper prices than the normal shops, and the fact that it provides free parking facilities, the Giant Hypermarket in Kuantan is a very popular place not only to the local folks but also nearby villagers and visitors to Kuantan.

The shopping here can be done in one place for most household items, including electric and electronic goods, canned and bottled foodstuffs, clothing, stationeries, and definitely the wet and fresh provisions and groceries for home cooking.

DISADVANTAGE OF MODERN SHOPPING MALLS

In a way, one disadvantage the established Kuantan shopping centers and malls have is that the items being sold are rather fixed in prices and buyers will need to wait for the sales period when discounts and special offers are available.

At the traditional shops, however, one probably can bargain or negotiate for discounts and get a good price. That is why local folks and villagers still do their shopping in the little shops with friendly and known faces, as there is always the excitement of getting a good bargain.

And there are night, Sunday and farmers’ markets where shopping for fresh fruits, fish and seafood, vegetables, groceries and other household needs can also be obtained rather cheaply.

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Well, the above are just a brief description of the major Kuantan shopping centers, malls and complexes, although we may find many other established stores, like Courts Mammoth, Parkson Grand, Mydin, Kamdar, Globe Silk Store, that locals go to for specific items they wish to buy.

So, whenever you’re in town, don’t forget to visit these popular Kuantan shopping centers, and always enjoy your shopping.

From me ...

***SELAMAT DATANG***