Spencer Plaza

Historical Spencer Plaza

 Firstly, Spencer Plaza was built in the year 1863–1864 by Charles Durant and J. W. Spencer in Anna Salai, then known as Mount Road, in the Madras Presidency. (WIKI). It was a British era building  that was the talk of the town.It was a departmental store which had several individual stores and had a spectacular façade. It was a landmark building in Chennai  spread over 125, 000 sq. ft. The Hotel Connemara, was right next to the Spencers Plaza. It was a very happening place with the hi profile crowd from the hotel & the college going crowd frequenting the Chennai shopping Mall. It was the best in class.

Favourite Mall  for the locals-Spencer Plaza,Anna Salai

It was reconstructed in 1985 after a fire damaged the original building on this site.However, the new building does not have the classic look of the original Mall.

It is fully air conditioned and has many  ethnic stores. This used to be one of the favorite places for the locals to shop and was always crowded.Many local residents feel nostalgic. After all the original building was an iconic landmark in Chennai,being the oldest shopping mall in India. With the opening of newer and bigger Chennai malls, Spencers has lost some of its glamour and is no longer such as sought after mall anymore.

Kashmiri Carpets @Spencer Plaza

In addition, there are several shops for handicrafts and Kashmiri Carpets in this mall. In fact, more than half the shops are owned by Kashmiris. Scarves, shawls, carpets and semi precious jewellery shops are available in plenty. Other stores stock beautiful brass handicrafts, precious and semi precious jewellery .Vummudi has a gold & diamond jewellery in the Spencers Plaza.

Not all the stores are fully occupied. However, tourists and local residents come to this mall to pick up some beautiful Kashmiri Carpets here.

Know about the best shops in Spencer Plaza Chennai. Read our review before you visit Chennai shopping malls.