1st Avenue Mall Penang

1st Avenue Shopping Mall (16 September 2010)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

1st Avenue Mall Penang is an eleven-storey upmarket shopping mall under construction in George Town. It is bordered by Magazine Road, Lebuh Lintang, Tek Soon Street and Carnarvon Street. The mall, which is Phase 3 of Komtar, occupies a 10,126 square meter plot and will have a total built-up area of over 40,000 square meters and gross floor area of 655,000 sq ft. Formerly known as Mutiara Parade (or Lion Mutiara Parade, and briefly Paragon Penang), the mall was renamed in November 2008. At the initial time of writing, April 2009, no anchor tenant has yet been announced for 1st Avenue Penang. On November 3, 2009, Parkson signed in as anchor tenant in a ceremony officiated by the Rt. Hon. Lim Guan Eng, chief minister of Penang.

Mall Information

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1st Avenue Penang, side view (16 September 2010)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

1st Avenue is slated to open on 25 November when Parkson Department Store, which will serve as the anchor tenant, opens there. The department store will take up 92,000 sq feet of retail space over four levels. AsiaMalls hopes to bring in some Singapore retailers to 1st Avenue to boost up the retail scene in Penang.

In order to facilitate smooth pedestrian traffic flow, two overhead bridges are being construction, one linking 1st Avenue Mall with Prangin Mall while the other with ICT Digital Mall at Komtar.

Each floor of 1st Avenue will carry its own fashion statement. The Lower Ground Floor, labelled "Chill" will be the watering hole of the young and trendy. Ground Floor is known as "Style", and features haute couture. First Floor, called Modish, carries men's apparel, children's clothing and toys. Second Floor, called "First Asia", will feature spas while the Third Floor given to beauty treatments as well as restaurants.

Overhead bridge linking 1st Avenue Mall with Prangin Mall (17 November 2010)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

1st Avenue Mall Penang is managed by Pramerica Real Estate Investors (Asia) through its Asian Retail Mall Fund (ARMF). It is one of two malls in Penang under ARMF, the other being Island Plaza. It is a joint development of ARMF with Belleview Group and The Lion Group.

So far, to my chagrin, there is no mention of a bookstore. I do hope the management of this mall brings in a first class bookstore such as another outlet of Borders or even Kinokuniya.