1st Avenue Mall Penang
1st Avenue Mall Penang, located in the heart of George Town, Penang, is a
multi-level shopping mall that commenced operations on 25 November 2010. It is
situated between Magazine Road, Carnarvon Street, Tek Soon Street, and Cross
Street. Adjacent to Prangin Mall and ICT Digital Mall at Komtar, the mall
derives its name from Magazine Road, which is known as the first avenue or
street in the Seven Streets Precinct of George Town. The commercial space at 1st
Avenue Mall spans seven levels, ranging from Lower Ground to Fourth Floor, as
well as the Eighth Floor. The fifth to seventh floors serve as parking
facilities, while the eighth floor, known as Cloud Eight, offers a panoramic
view of George Town.
The majority of outlets in the mall are occupied by apparel stores, specifically
those catering to women's clothing. During its initial opening, Parkson
Department Store served as the anchor tenant, with other prominent tenants
including Giordano, Watson's, Kenny Rogers, Red Box, Starbucks, Sushi King, and
The Body Shop.
At the time of the original writing in November 2010, many of the outlets were
still unopened, requiring some time to determine whether the mall would generate
excitement in the city center. Notably absent were fast food chains such as
McDonald's, KFC, and Pizza Hut, as well as a bookstore. In comparison, both
Queensbay Mall and Gurney Plaza featured two large bookstores. The lack of an
upscale bookstore as a major tenant could potentially limit the mall's appeal to
high-income patrons who consider a visit to the bookstore an integral part of
their shopping experience.
When compared to its closest competitor, Prangin Mall, 1st Avenue Mall stands
out with its more imaginative design. Prangin Mall appears box-like and lacks
creativity in its architectural design. While it may be argued that Prangin Mall
was constructed during a time when mall designs were less developed, a similar
lack of imaginative design is evident in the more recent Penang Times Square,
which replicates the mistakes of Berjaya Times Square in Kuala Lumpur.
Fortunately, 1st Avenue Mall incorporates gentle curves in its atrium,
reminiscent of malls like Singapore's VivoCity.
One of the most exciting features of 1st Avenue Mall is the open-air viewpoint
on the eighth floor, allowing visitors to enjoy a panoramic view of the city.
From the Seven Streets Precinct to the south of the mall, the view extends to
the high-rise buildings in Jelutong and beyond. Another captivating
architectural element is the cascading series of escalators from the fourth to
the eighth floor.
To reach 1st Avenue Mall, one can conveniently walk from Komtar Bus Terminal.
Simply turn right from the terminal and head east on Tek Soon Street until you
spot 1st Avenue Mall on your right, directly across from Komtar ICT Digital
Mall.
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