Retail resurgence ahead of the New Year

by Pramod de Silva

In the Sri Lankan retail scene, there are mainly two seasons that drive shoppers to retail stores and of course, makeshift stalls by the roadside. They are Christmas/New Year and Sinhala and Hindu New Year.

After the shopping frenzy from November to December, there is a lull from mid-January till end of February, but shopping picks up from the first week of March in anticipation of the Sinhala and Hindu New Year. It reaches its peak this weekend, the last one before Avurudu dawns on April 14, as people try to grab gifts for their loved ones at the last minute before travelling to their villages.

While the swanky shops and shopping malls in Colombo, not to mention the numerous shops and stalls in Pettah are doing brisk business, some outstation cities and suburbs of Colombo have stolen the limelight.

Maharagama, Kiribathgoda and Piliyandala have become shopping hubs of late due to a variety of factors including the presence of almost all major fashion stores in these areas. There is no longer any need to go to Colombo for one’s Avurudu needs.

The population in these areas has also increased over the past few years and so has the traffic. But one can still find a good bargain amidst the hustle and bustle. Maharagama, in particular is well-known for the garment trade and surplus from apparel factories has flooded the area, making it a hub for shoppers from around the country.

Avurudu shopping at Maharagama begins as early as 2 a.m. as street vendors peddle their wares before the shops open at 9-10 a.m. By that time, most wayside stalls have run out of their stocks, leaving the pavements clear.

The prices are really good – buyers come all the way from areas such as Trincomalee to buy in bulk quantities for resale in their areas. It is an Avurudu shopping rush that no other city in Sri Lanka can match. In the provinces, our reporters in Jaffna, Kurunegala, Kandy and Galle reported huge crowds flocking the shopping areas.