PIKOM ICT Mall CapSquare Grand Launch

starbucks

I’ll be honest with you, I don’t go to CapSquare Centre that often. I usually just park myself in Starbucks and find someplace to eat dinner before heading for a movie. I’ve got this Top Gun: Star Access card by TGV Cinemas that allows me to watch movies for free, and even though CapSquare has a relatively small number of screens, it’s a lot easier to find a parking space compared to Suria KLCC!

tgv cinemas

I’ve been there a couple of times a few years back and when I started going again this year, the mall totally changed on me.

diablo 3

Watch out Low Yat Plaza and Digital Mall – there’s a new player in town!

media briefing

CapSquare Centre is now known officially as PIKOM ICT Mall CapSquare and I went to the media briefing a couple of days ago to check out what they have in store for the grand launch – you just can’t argue with the tag line “We’re opening with a bang!!!”.

capsquare tour

The mall is just one part of the integrated CapSquare development by BRDB – there’s 6 CapSquare, the second residential project that’s under development, after CapSquare Residences, which is already occupied, and two completed office towers.

pikom ict mall capsquare

However, what’s really interesting about the place is that PIKOM, the National ICT Association of Malaysia, has chosen to align itself with CapSquare. I asked about their unique selling point, being so close to Low Yat as it is and John Sironic, Head of Group Retail Operations and Darrell, Senior Manager from Centre Management couldn’t have replied more succinctly.

  • It has 2,000 car park bays
  • There’s plenty of F&B outlets serving a wide array of cuisines from Western delicacies to Asian delights
  • They have a cinema
  • They will soon have a supermarket
  • The rent is relatively cheaper so that should translate to lower prices for customers

I usually just go straight up to the cinema so it’s like an educational trip, walking through the mall with Li-Ann, as she explains the existing layout and future plans. There are about 60 shops occupying the centre with room for 200 kiosks (not 20, I asked twice coz I was afraid I misheard) more.

challenger

PIKOM ICT Mall CapSquare is already pretty well represented in the technology arena – there are huge anchor tenants like Challenger, which is the largest IT mega store in Malaysia…

istudy

…to specialty premium shops like iStudy by Apple. Epson has a presence here (first concept store in Malaysia) and so does Canon and other competitors in the printing and imaging department.

gps

TomTom opened up their first concept store in Asia right inside CapSquare so naturally Garmin took up the shop lot beside it. I also saw a PaPaGO! kiosk so that’s the holy trinity of GPS navigation devices right there. 🙂

robotica toys

The major telcos also have stores and kiosks inside CapSquare. It’s really a mixture of everything tech related down to the relatively niche Robotica Toys, which sells original PC games, merchandise and collectibles!

gadgets

One thing that PIKOM ICT Mall CapSquare is offering is a premium IT shopping experience. There will be no dodgy shops with cigarette smoke wafting in the air while feng tao music is blasted out of speakers as the latest Hollywood movie plays on a TV overhead as a “preview” while runners get your pirated DVD/Blu-ray for you.

Not. Going. To. Happen.

shops

PIKOM ICT Mall CapSquare is going to be a premium retail experience – a one-stop tech haven with the latest and greatest genuine IT products and electronic gadgets. Add “competitively priced” to the list and you have yourself a great tech mall in the making, with credible and reliable stores, minus the wild wild west elements.

food court

There’s even a food court if you want to grab a quick bite without going into a full service restaurant.

exit

Head down during 25-27 May for their grand opening! Parking will be free on the 26th and 27th and there’s performances galore, everything from ManHanD to Upin & Ipin with fun and games and prizes to be won!

promos

The retailers have banded together and come up with incredible promotions that’s too long to list – grab the flyer above when you go in, whether it’s a broadband subscription or a printer, they’ve got it covered.

outdoor cinema

There’s also going to be an Outdoor Cinema with six sci-fi flicks being projected on the huge facade of the building right at the photo above. It’s geek heaven, back-to-back screenings of:

25th May
8 pm Star Wars Episode 1
10 pm Real Steel
12 am Transformers

26th May
8 pm Monsters Inc
10 pm Iron Man
12 am Avatar

seats

You’ll be sitting here so bring a blanket or a sleeping bag. 😀

restaurant

Check out the Spend & Win contest too – spend RM 100 at any store in CapSquare (including F&B – asked about that) from 15-27 May, submit your receipt at the Information Counter and come for the grand launch on the 27th May to win prizes that includes an Alienware laptop (!!!), MacBook Air, the new iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Blackberry 9810 and vouchers!

spend win

It’s geek heaven, yo!

capsquare launch

There’s so much going on during the launch on 25-27 May that it’s impossible to list everything down. Surf on over to the PIKOM ICT Mall CapSquare Facebook page to check out all they have in store for you this weekend!

The Spring

the spring

The Spring is one of the newest shopping centers in Kuching. The mall was still under construction when I left Kuching about two years ago and it’s almost fully occupied now. The Spring reminds me of Chadstone Mall in Melbourne, Australia with its sprawling two (three including the basement) story layout.

spring interior

tHe Spring – that’s the official capitalization policy of the enterprise – is billed as a lifestyle mall offering retail experiences. The term “retail experience” seem to be replacing the more common vernacular of “shopping” in marketing lingo. I was aflutter with delirious exuberance in anticipation of the sojourn to this new retail experience establishment!

quiksilver

Sarcasm aside, I really did want to see what it’s like coz I’ve heard a lot of good things about it. Irene picked us up from the airport and sent us to our hotel to check in before driving us to tHe Spring. It’s located at Jalan Simpang Tiga and it just opened on 10th of January 2008.

spring coins

Irene told us that people have been throwing coins into this water feature in The Spring, perhaps mistaking it for some kind of wishing well (wishing umbrella?). The management of The Spring actually had to sand blast a sign into the glass perimeter on all floors reminding visitors not to throw coins into the water feature. 🙂

spring gawai

The Spring had a feature for the upcoming Gawai (Harvest Festival) celebrations with a replica longhouse complete with traditional Iban musical instruments on display and not-so-traditional piped music from hidden speakers on loop for ambiance.

quiksilver girl

Quiksilver is represented at The Spring, as well as their female line Roxy. I went in and found a tag (I seriously don’t know what this thing is actually called) that I purchased back in 2003 and lost somewhere during a particularly excessive drinking session. It’s supposed to be worn around the neck for name tags/smart cards and such but I use it for aesthetic purposes.

quiksilver tag

There is a hook on the tag that can be attached (to a name tag/smart card) but the hook can also be attached to the belt loop on a pair of jeans. I just like the way it looks hanging down from the belt loop on a pair of jeans. It’s a bit garish, I know, but I like it. 🙂

spring irene

Irene sends her regards.

Reign of Fire, Artemis Fowl, Passionfruit Yogurt, oh my…

Listening to the Sound of Music soundtrack always cheers me up for some
reason. 🙂 Anyway, I went with a couple of my friends today to catch
Reign of Fire [reignoffire.com]
at the Hoyts in Chadstone. It’s a pretty good movie, but not one you
should question too much. There are things in the movie that requires some
suspension of belief. We had a long list of implausible things by the time
the movie ended. Heh. The best scene of the movie is the one where Van Zan
jumps off a building to engage the dragon with an axe. That was the money
shot. I expected more from the plot outline of the movie, but generally,
it was a pretty good film. Anyway, I also bought
The Artic Incident
[artemisfowl.com] in Borders while waiting for the movie to start. It’s
the second Artemis Fowl book, and I didn’t even know it was already out. I
bought the first book and finished it in a few hours while sipping double
shot ice blended lattes after having to fly to Kuching for a day (long
story) and found it was rather good. I heard a lot of hype about the first
book coz people were comparing it with Harry Potter. I’ll say Harry Potter
is better, but Artemis Fowl is a close second. However, the best books
I’ve ever read are the ones in
The
Uplift Saga
[davidbrin.com] by David Brin. Those are divine if you’re
into science fiction. Oh, and there were people distributing free yogurt
when we were walking out so I grabbed a bag. Contents of the bag: 1 x
Vaalia Low Fat Passionfruit Yogurt, 1 x plastic spoon, 1 x A$5 gift
voucher redeemable at Coles, BI-LO, Safeway etc. Interesting.

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