Hoping to steal some of the limelight from fashion outlet-packed Taipei, the Dream Mall (
The new shopping mall is the nation's largest, with a floor space of 121,000 ping (399,300m2), the sixth-largest in Asia and the 11th largest in the world.
The mall rises nine stories and has three basement levels and has roped in Japan's Hankyu Department Store; Japan's largest lifestyle and home-furnishing brand, Nitori; the UK's Marks & Spencer; and a sub-zero temperature playground introduced from Japan so subtropical Taiwanese can experience a winter wonderland.
All of these retailers will make their Taiwan debut at the Dream Mall.
However, Hankyu Department Store, Marks & Spencer and Nitori will not open their doors for business until May 12, when a grand opening ceremony is scheduled.
Dream Mall president Paul Chang (
Chang predicted that the mall, which took an investment of NT$18.5 billion, would break even within three years and start pulling in profits in ten years.
Another much-anticipated feature is the mall's NT$200 million rooftop Ferris wheel, whose 36 carts are painted with Sanrio Co's famous cartoon figures, including Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll Dog and Badtz-Maru penguin.
The firm said it is the only Ferris wheel in Taiwan with a view of the ocean.
Taipei's Miramar Entertainment Park (美麗華百樂園) in Dazhi District also banks on its rooftop 48-cart Ferris wheel, the second-largest in the world after the wheel atop the Hip Five shopping center in Osaka, Japan, as a draw for those curious to get a bird's eye view of the greater Taipei area.
Statistics show that Kaohsiung's department store and shopping mall market is worth about NT$22 billion per annum. Hanshin Department Store takes the lion's share with sales of NT$10 billion a year.
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