Laid-back Khan Market switches to the fast lane

Over the last few months, the laid-back Khan Market, in the heart of the city has turned into one of the country's high streets of retail.

Considered the first refugee market in the city after Partition, it was built to serve politicians and bureaucrats who lived around it. The market then had grocery stores, repair shops, music shops, bookstores, crockery shops, toy shops, apparels, etc.

The youth would gather on the pavement outside Ambassador Hotel, adjacent to the market to board the University-special bus. Several of these youth are now politicians, bureaucrats, historians, economists and armed forces' officers.

"It's amazing how things have changed within a span of six months," said a bureaucrat. "Of course, shopping is much more interesting and swift these days. Parking has improved. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has created space with financial assistance from the market association. It continues to remain a favourite haunt of my family," he added.

Used by expatriates and diplomatic community, Khan Market can be best described as a U-shaped market with another two parallel U's. Along the street there are mini-markets selling imported vegetables and goods.

Khan market is very upmarket. A cloth store has made way for an upscale watch store, Subway which has replaced a store run by a non-government organisation. Footwork, a glitzy footwear store used to be an odds-and-ends shop, a crockery store has transformed into a bank ATM and a bicycle shop has made way for a trendy café, Big Chill.

The Giorgio Armani showroom used to be a cloth merchant's shop. Similarly, Pepe Jeans was once a crockery store. There is Anokhi, Grand Bazaar, filmmaker Muzaffar Ali's Neemrana, all clothes outlets, Barista, Sugar N Spice, McDonalds', bookstores Faquir Chand & Sons and Bahrisons.

The list goes on. A few among these are still considered favourites by old-timers Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani, writer Khushwant Singh and former election commissioner M. S. Gill.

Catering to mostly foreign clients and embassy officials, it is also frequented by Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi. "Ever since I discovered Khan Market, I keep coming here instead of exploring other markets. There might be a better place just down the road. But my heart is set on this," revealed an embassy official.

Khan Market is a paradise for book lovers. Faquir Chand & Sons and Bahrisons are both synonymous with Khan Market. The shops were opened with small investments after Partition and have over the years become landmarks. Ironically, Balraj Malhotra, who started Bahrisons was not remotely connected with the business of books.

Having left Lahore after Partition, he looked for a source of livelihood and unsuccessfully tried his hand at some small-time businesses. He was helped by a friend and set up the shop with borrowed money. Today the shop stocks best sellers and has diversified into publishing. Observes Anup Kumar of Faquir Chand & Sons, long time family friends of Advanis'. "Transformation of this regular provisions market into a lifestyle destination has changed it all. The consumer base has grown in leaps and bounds. Our clients include long-staying foreigners, the fashion fraternity and upwardly mobile and rich young teens."

One cannot miss The Music Shop. Started almost 25 years ago by a group of college students, it began as a place that sold records, black & white television sets, cassettes and tape recorders.

Today, you find anything ranging from a long-lost album to the latest DVD player - basically the best of music from the world over. Deepak Marwah, the brain behind this venture, has not looked back ever since.