Landmark Laksala showroom under Divi Neguma

Laksala, the oldest and well known gift and souvenir boutique in Sri Lanka will open its landmark store at the Colombo Museum premises by the end of this month to popularise and promote the Sri Lankan handicraft industry locally and globally.

The state-of-the-art showroom 'National Museum Gallery Café' which is being constructed at a cost of Rs. 185 million comes under the Divi Neguma social development scheme.While Cabinet has approved Rs. 220 million for the project, approximately Rs.185 million will be spent on the first phase, while the balance will be used for future expansion. One and a half acres of land has been designed in a manner that will preserve the outlook and heritage.

The showroom will have more than 30,000 stock keeping units (SKU), complementing and expanding the supply chain all around the island.

Chairman of Laksala, Anil Koswatte said, “Being categorised as an underperforming entity for many years, Laksala has seen a significant turnaround within the past few years and we continue to look at a brighter future under the Divi Neguma program.”

“We also plan to open a store at the Magalla tourist centre in Galle and revamp the outlet in Kandy.

We see these expansions not only as revenue generators for the national economy, but also as a step towards assisting village craftsmen and rural suppliers,” he said.

He said that as a result of dynamic reforms, there are more than 5,000 artisans, craftsmen and suppliers registered with Laksala from across the island and their goal is to increase the supply base to 15,000 and SKU to 50,000 by 2016. Due to the continuous expansion many people have gained livelihoods and are able to develop their craftsmanship to a higher level.

Laksala, the attractive and revamped state-owned gift shop has a gamut of Sri Lankan products, ranging from wood craft, brassware, leather, ceramics, batiks and handlooms.

The variety of products sold at Laksala caters to the needs of many local and foreign buyers.