Central Chidlom to revamp and reopen as “The Store of Bangkok”

Central Chidlom is getting a new look and feel, centred around being “The Store of Bangkok.” The revamped shopping centre is set to open its new luxury, beauty, and fashion zones in April, and a full new look in the fourth quarter of this year.

Central Department Store, a subset of Central Retail, is set to revolutionise Bangkok’s shopping landscape even further with the introduction of a revamped Central Chidlom. After a substantial investment of 4 billion Baht over the past year, the store has undergone a remarkable transformation into a premier luxury retail hub, adopting the fresh concept of “The Store of Bangkok.” This approach is designed to cater to the city’s many dynamic shoppers, and upon completion will feature more top-tier luxury brands and exclusive offerings than ever before.

The transformation is rooted in leveraging the shopping centre’s prime location and extensive history as a pioneer in the ‘One-Stop-Shopping’ concept. For over five decades, Central has curated several of Thailand’s top retail destinations, offering a diverse range of brands across all categories, all under one roof.

Speaking about the revamp, Natira Boonsri, CEO of the Central Department Store Group under Central Retail, expressed her excitement: “The transformation of Central Chidlom isn’t just a makeover, we’re redefining the shopping experience to make Central Chidlom, ‘The Store of Bangkok,’ an iconic destination in the city and a hotspot for global customers seeking a unique customer-centric experience. With exclusive luxury brands and exceptional offerings found only here, we’re truly setting the standard for luxury department retail stores in Bangkok.”

Central Chidlom’s rebranding as “The Store of Bangkok” embodies Central Retail Corporation’s vision of “The Store of Endless Inspiration for Every Moment of Your Life.” This concept aligns with three key principles guiding the renovation towards establishing Central Chidlom as a premier luxury department store:

New design and concept

Collaborating with top Thai architectural firms and global consultants, Central Chidlom’s renovation will showcase contemporary designs tailored to Thai lifestyles, all of which meet international standards with meticulous attention to detail.

Central Chidlom’s design transformation involves several key enhancements. The exterior façade is being redesigned to embody modernity, incorporating vertical lines and minimalist features while introducing contemporary pink hues and frosted white glass panels that illuminate and change colour at night. Inside, the central atrium area is being expanded to create a luxurious and spacious atmosphere, while vertical and horizontal environments are increased for an exceptional experience. Additionally, a sky bridge is being added at level 1 to directly connect to the luxury floor, and the existing sky bridge at level 2 is being expanded for easier access, enhancing convenience for customers travelling by train.

The Store of Curated Destinations

Central Chidlom continues its aim to remain one of the ciy’s most renowned one-stop shopping destinations by curating a diverse selection of brands to cater to its customers’ diverse needs. Brands are carefully chosen and categorised based on pricing and prestige, ensuring an exceptional and convenient shopping experience.

The ‘World of Luxury’ section will offer an array of prestigious global brands like Balenciaga, Chanel, Gucci, and Prada. ‘Shoes Avenue’ will showcase a vast collection of designer footwear from brands such as Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo, and Tom Ford, with exclusive debuts of brands like Giuseppe Zanotti and Mach & Mach coming soon. These offerings will continue to solidify Central Chidlom’s reputation as a premier shopping destination.

The ‘World of Beauty: Beauty Galerie’ will span over 6,000 square metres and will host beauty products from over 150 esteemed global brands. Exclusive booths from celebrated names like Chanel, Dior, La Mer, and Gucci will offer unique concepts, while the section will also feature exclusive distribution of brands such as Augustinus Bader and Officine Universelle Buly, alongside a dedicated space for organic and niche beauty products.

The ‘World of Youth’ initiative aims to attract a younger customer demographic by creating a destination that offers fashion and streetwear products tailored to their needs. One facet of this initiative is the introduction of ‘Sneakers Boulevard,’ the first and only department store area in the kingdom boasting over 800 pairs of sneakers, including latest collections, special editions, and rare models from top brands.

The revamped Central Chidlom will also be an attractive food destination, offering eateries and cafes to suit all tastes and budgets, with the number of food outlets tripling to over 60 establishments upon completion of the renovation. On top of everything, top-notch service will also be a priority, as the shopping centre will house upgraded concierge lounges, personal shopping assistants, and digital parking services.

Finally, Central Chidlom’s new ‘Store of Communities’ initiative is set to transform the shopping centre into a hub for fostering strong ‘Chidlom Citizen’ communities through various programmes:

CENFINITY will enhance the loyalty programmes for top customers across Central Department Store, Robinson Department Store, and Central Embassy, as well as The1 Members. Central Chidlom will feature redesigned logos and fonts inspired by the store’s updated design and unique ‘Central Chidlom Rose Pink’ colour that is derived from Central Chidlom’s iconic flower event. The shopping centre will also curate a programme of exciting events across art, music, and gastronomy with both local and global partners throughout the year.

Central Chidlom is poised to debut parts of its new identity as “The Store of Bangkok” in April, but valued customers can begin getting excited for the reveal of the fully revamped shopping centre in December of this year. This remodel will also mark the official start of Central Department Store’s plans to renovate several branches nationwide in the coming years.

For more information, visit Central Chidlom.

This story first appeared on Prestige Online Thailand.