The City Mall

One of the most, if not the most, new and exciting places for young people to socialize is the City Mall located in the capital city at the corners of Camp and Regent Street. This establishment is yet another indication of the modernization taking place in Guyana today thanks, in part, to the private sector.

As you enter the huge building you are entering a centrally air conditioned atmosphere that is encouraging and inviting. You are greeted by a spectacle that is the first of its kind in Guyana. The escalator is the first, and quite possibly the main attraction located within the four story building. I remember clearly that when the mall was first opened to the public, there were curious persons coming down to Camp and Regent just to take a trip up and down the escalators. There were those who were afraid and nervous but as soon as this feeling was overcome by curiosity and courage they bravely took a step onto the machine. There were also some persons who fell while attempting to use the machine. Their pain and embarrassment served only to amuse those who would have witnessed the incident-there was no sympathy. There was one lady who was unaware as to which was up and which was down and attempted to go up the wrong one and fell flat on her back as a result.

The City Mall offers four floors of shopping convenience and pleasure. The ground floor features stores and booths which have movies, cell phones and craft items. The Food Court is also found on this floor. Various eating houses have taken the opportunity to give their business more exposure. This makes items such as burgers, ice cream, fried chicken, milkshakes, juices, sandwiches and pastries available to the mall-goers. There is also an area within the Food Court for seating purposes and furnished with tables for you to enjoy your meal. On the first and second floors you can find clothing, footwear, lingerie, personal hygiene items, colognes, gift items and there is even a barbershop and an internet cafe. On the third floor there is an arcade with various exciting games for the fun- loving individual. There is also a double theatre. on the third floor that is not quite completed which should bring more visitors to the mall as soon as its doors are opened.

With all the features and attractions present in the mall, it has become the premier place for young people to meet and hang out, mainly on Saturday afternoon. Added to the fact that the mall is a hot spot young people find it almost instinctive to go to the mall to hang out, have something to eat, surf the web or just to see who they might run into. Young people put on their best outfits and head for the mall on Saturday afternoons just to have a good time, and look good doing so. The city mall promises to be one of the most exciting and important places that will be involved in shaping the cultural development of the new breed of Guyanese.

By Andrew Ross