The food court in the new Talat Xao shopping mall officially opened to the public last Friday, following a successful month-long trial period.

The food centre is located on the third floor of the mall, and has 23 shops selling Lao, Vietnamese, Chinese, Vegetarian and Indian foods. The centre runs on a coupon system, through which customers purchase coupons to exchange for products.

The test run over the past month has been met with enthusiasm by local and foreign customers, who have mainly been drawn to the variety of products on offer, and the novelty of eating in a mall.

At the opening ceremony, Administration and Marketing Director of Talat Xao Shopping Mall Co Ltd, Mr Lewis Koo, cut the ribbon to announce the food court officially open, followed by performances by singers from Laos and Thailand , and an opportunity for invited guests to sample the centre’s offerings.

On the same day, the mall opened a mobile phone centre on the first floor, bringing the number of phone shops in the mall to 22.

Almost all shops on all three retail floors are now open, selling a variety of clothes, glassware and homewares, music and jewellery, alongside a café and several bank units. In all, the mall has the capacity to hold 160 retail outlets.

Two of the mall’s five storeys are reserved for parking spaces for more than 300 cars, and the shops will be open every day until 7pm.

By Soudalath Phonpachith

July 30, 2007 
Vientianetimes