Bogotanos (and, from what I can tell so far, Latin Americans in general) are C-R-A-Z-Y for shopping malls. First of all, I hate shopping malls in general, so I’m maybe not the best person to describe this phenomenon, so just remember that while reading my comments.
Malls here come in all shapes and sizes, and are called Centros Comerciales (Commecial Centers). I know of a few in Bogota that date back to the 1960’s or 1970’s, so the phenomenon got started here just about the same time as it did in the US, I suppose. The difference is that here they are in the busy city areas, whereas in the US malls tend to be more of a suburban thing. In the US cities I know well, there might be an occasional small mall, but for the most part retail businesses are located in store fronts on the streets, just as they have always been. Certainly Bogota has lots of storefronts too, but the number of malls is kind of staggering, to me at least.
There are very few large stores in the malls. In the US every mall has one or more large department stores as anchors, but in Bogota all the malls are populated with smaller boutique type businesses (though many of them are chain stores). All the malls in Bogota also have huge underground parking lots, and in the nicer ones, you have to have your car inspected and dog-sniffed for bombs, and then deal with trying to fit it into a miniscule space.? The malls are crowded at almost any time of day, and the food courts will have a lot of fairly decent restaurants, not just fast food fare. People actually go out to malls for dinner sometimes.
Some of the Major Bogota Malls
Two of the oldest malls in the city are Unicentro, on Carrera 15 (the Quince) at about Calle 124, and Granahorrar in Chapinero (Calle 72 with Carrera 10). Unicentro is still one of the largest and most popular, and there’s usually a huge traffic jam of cars trying to enter and exit its parking garage.? Granahorrar has lost its?luster and is a little dingy, and not so popular anymore, but still functional.? Unicentro even has a bowling alley, called Bolicentro. Visit online by clicking here.
The most well-known and oldest of the upscale malls in called Andino, and is located right next to the Zona Rosa night club and restaurant district, on Carrera 11 (the Once) at about Calle 82.? It?s nice inside, has very good restaurants, and you can’t move for the crowds, lots of times.? This is one of the places rich people go to be seen, and the cost of “being seen” is built into the prices in the shops. Here they are.
Atlantis is right near Andino, and is also upscale, maybe even moreso than Andino.? Still, it came onto the scene later, so suffers just a tiny bit from step-child status.? At Atlantis I had the most expensive cup of coffee I have ever ordered in Bogota. Just recently, a third upscale mall opened in the same area–this one called El Retiro.
Hacienda Santa Barbara, on Septima at about Calle 116, is a mall that has been built in an old colonial finca (a farm-type of estate) from the days when 116 would have been a few miles outside the city (now it’s practically downtown).? It’s a good concept and because of that the mall has some charm on the outside–on the inside, you might as well be in any mall in Colombia.
Santa Fe is the newest and largest mall in Bogota, just opened a couple of months ago, and lots of folks say it’s the largest in South America.? It’s on the northern outskirts of the city, located on the Autopista Norte (largest highway leaving Bogota), with the idea that its outlying location will some day make it almost center city as Bogota?continues to expand northward. It’s nice enough, but nothing special that I can see; still crowded, however.
Bulevar is another decent mall and actually slightly interesting architecturally.? It’s in Colina Campestre, another fairly decent northern Bogota neighborhood.? Like almost all the malls in town, it’s got nice movie theatres.? Going to the movies is one of the big entertainment concepts in Bogota.
But Even Worse…
I was in Panama for a week over Christmas vacation, and believe it or not, Panamanians are even MORE nuts for malls than Colombians.? Basically, in the largest malls in Panama City, it’s almost impossible to move for the crowds, and checking out in any store at all might take an hour or more.? In the food court, you can spend half an hour looking for a table once you get your food, and then have to share it with some other folks.
American retailers would kill for this mall-o-mania.
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October 9th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Bogota has interesting places as you mention, many of them include movie theaters as well as brand stores. you can see many place to go… http://www.bogotatravelguide.com.