New toilet, must sit!

The Boulevard hypermarket / shopping mall is finally set for its soft opening tommorow (22.12.2007). So I figured they might allow visitors in prior.



So after lunch yesterday, I asked my dad whether he was interested to go have a look-see, as I wanted to snap some shots. Turns out he was already planning to go already. keke.

But we weren't the only ones who were interested.


The size able jam leading to the Boulevard. Imagine what it will be like on Saturday.

Ongoing works were evident when we finally got into the vicinity and we were directed to the basement parking.


The basement carpark. Spacious and well lit. Very convenient.





I noticed several cars in the car park and assumed they belong to the vendors / tenants who were there rushing for the soft opening. But when we got to the concourse level we were greeted by this.


Walau eh.


Walau ehh..

It seemed, the good people at Boulevard had taken out full page ads in the local english / chinese dailies promoting their 'membership drive' on the 20th and 21st. And once a member, you are entitled to buy selected goods at special / cheaper prices. I hadn't seen the ad, but it certainly explained why there was such a crowd.

Promotions like this never fail to pull a crowd. The Management were very smart to capitalize on the "Cheap goods, must buy!" "New toilet, must sit!" mentality of Kuching shoppers.


Someone was bound to do this sometime :P

So, like the rest of the crowd, we were enticed.


The Boulevard membership card. Shop and get discounts, points etc etc.




Pay RM15.00 for a membership and you get two coupons entitling you to buy any two items available, ranging from maggi mee to pressure jet sprays. It wasn't like the items were particularly cheap but I guess the desired effect was there, cause people were signing up like crazy.


The hypermarket itself wasn't open, so the membership 'sale' was done at the open concourse area.


Looks big though.



After the shopping, we ventured outside for a better look.


Ai.. Need a wide angle lens man.


The front.


The rear.

Then we went upstairs to see the shops / tenants that were going to open.


Unfortunately, this was the only shot I managed to take of the inside. Just after I snapped this pic, I was approached by a woman with a walkie talkie.

Woman: Excuse me Sir, you are from?
Me: Oh. I am just taking pics. It's a hobby.
Woman: Oh I.c (proceeds to speak into the walkie talkie)
Me: (As if on cue) I understand, don't worry I won't take anymore. (Keeps camera in bag)
Woman: Thank you Sir. I am just following orders.

Have to say I am quite impressed with what I saw. The design of the mall was very functional and the tenants they secured wouldn't have problems attracting the crowd as well. Aside from Boulevard, being the anchor tenant taking up 3 floors (if I am not mistaken) I also saw, KFC, Pizza Hut, Kenny Rogers Roasters, Guardian Pharmacy, Hang Ten, Bling, Converse, a book store, World of sports to name a few.

Apparently, the next phase of the Boulevard is a complex adjoining to the shopping mall, which will house a hotel, cinema and ice rink. So all seems well at the moment.


Shin Yang. The mighty conglomerate behind the Boulevard. In the early days, the Shin Yang group was a major player in the timber industry. Since then, they have also branched out into domestic/international shipping, the hotel and shopping/retail industry. Mighty indeed.

From a shopper's view point, I am quite glad to see the steady development that we are experiencing here in Kuching.


The Spring.

With the Boulevard opening tommorow and The Spring also set to open early January 2008, Kuchingnites will certainly have more to see and do in the near future. To that I say, WootZ!