SUNDAY, APRIL 28, 2024
PANJIM, MARCH 12: Completing 100 years in business last year, the fourth generation of Caculos has for the first time diversified and ventured into a totally new arena beyond their automobile industry. Caculo Mall at Panjim is all set to unveil on Monday, 14 March for commercial operations. Spread over 82,000 sq ft area over four floors, once inaugurated at the hands of the Chief Minister of Goa Digambar Kamat, Caculo Mall will offer Goans everything under one roof. From books to boots, food to fun and gifts to games – all would be available at a price suitable to each pocket.
Stressing the point that this Rs100 crore worth mall is not only for the rich and elite, Manoj Caculo, Chairman and Managing Director of Caculos and the brain behind Caculo Mall says, “It was my intention and passion to have a mall in Goa that would be pride and prestige of Goans. This mall is for one and all. I want to make it clear to the people of Goa that our mall is not only for the cream of the society or only elite class. In fact, care has been taken to have majority of the things for common man who will enjoy spending time here and get whatever he wants within his budget. We have everything for everybody.”
Caculo Mall will have all kinds of goods and services – exclusive as well as common. Besides expensive brands they also have garments ranging from Rs199 onwards. “We want every Goan to visit us irrespective of the economic class he belongs,” says Manoj.
The mall culture is growing in Goa at par with the rest of the country. Speaking on this Manoj says, “Goa is a tourist destination. Domestic as well as international tourists need an organised retail place to shop under single roof. Goa has highest per capita income, spending capacity, pristine beaches, natural beauty, and fantastic five-stars. The idea of having a mall here always fascinated me. It was three years ago that I and my brother Suraj set on the drawing board with this idea that has eventually turned into a reality now.”
A mall is a wholesome package – entertainment, food and shopping. Caculo Mall has a combination of all three things – Gaming Zone for toddlers to teenagers, Food Court with six types of cuisines as well as KFC and various branded, designer as well budget goods in shopping. “Now Goans need not go out for shopping, they have their own mall in Goa,” says Manoj adding, “I have not printed invitations. It is impossible for me to print 1.5 million invites. I want to invite every Goan to Caculo Mall and am quite excited with the kind of response I am receiving through messages and calls. Goans have started to have a sense of belonging that Goa has a mall. For Architect Siddha Sardesai this was a dream project. With sheer dedication he has poured his heart and soul into it. To start with there would be no special schemes on the first day but gradually the shops would come out with them. We want people to come and experience first.”
