While other metros may boast about the size of their malls, Chennai can take pride in the fact that the first departmental store in the entire Indian subcontinent was built here. The store was built between 1863 and 1864 by entrepreneur Charles Durrant who was later joined by entrepreneur John William Spencer. When Spencer took over the store, he changed its name to Spencer's, which is where the store's current avatar gets its name from.
In 1871, businessman Eugene P Oakshott joined the firm. He later took over its handling when Spencer retired in 1882. It was under his direction that the firm grew to become one of the biggest department stores in Asia. It was also during this time that the store shifted into a beautiful, Indo-Saracenic building (designed by architect W N Pogson) along Anna Salai. Unfortunately the structure did not survive the ravages of time. In 1985 it burnt down and was replaced with the mammoth Spencer Plaza, which consists of three buildings; a veritable shopping paradise for residents of the city.
I am seeing this spenser's plaza for 22 years daily, and the huge shopping mall constructed 8 years back.
Thanks for giving details of the back ground of this.
Govindan
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