Shopping at Commercial Street and bylanes

Looking for fabric in Bangalore? Start your hunt with Dispensary Road, which is behind Commercial Street. Head to Pooja Collections for lovely silk dupattas, and fabulous yards of Maheshwari and printed cottons. Right next to this is Radhika Dezigns, where you find both unstitched fabric and readymades with brocade and gota work. We loved the trendy ethnic wear for children upstairs. Walk a little ahead past the cycle shops and come to Khadi Bhandar. It looks like an overstocked godown but that’s precisely the reason to enter it. Choose from meters of fabric in cotton, raw and tussar silk in colors that cover every shade.

 

Narayan Pillai Street also has great salwar suit pieces and fabric in several small shops. At Dupatta House, you can get dupattas in every conceivable shade and can even get them dyed. For exotic brocades, head to Mysore Saree Udyog on Kamaraj Road, opposite the entrance to Commercial Street. A very cute store in the same building is Strawberry, for embroidered kids’ wear. Must-visit shopping store if you have a little girl. To buy woolens, generations of Bangaloreans have always gone to Eastern Stores, so without a doubt, head there.

 

Speaking of fabrics, could tailors be far behind? Well, Commercial Street and its bylanes in Bangalore have several tailors who will get your clothes stitched in a day or alternations done in an hour or more, though that’s only for emergencies. For something elegant, try N Shankar Rao on Ebrahim Sahib Street, known to make great blouses and Indian attire. For skirts, dresses and fitted jackets, try the Elan Design Studio (formerly Thai Designs) on Commercial Street. MetroMela loved the corsets in brocade there! Looking for an angelic, white bridal gown? Shama Rao Drapers on Dispensary Road, Bangalore make bridal gowns, outfits for Holy Communion as well as regular Western wear.

 

Old timers C Krishniah Chetty & Sons have been there since 1869 and you will find, gold and other precious stones, including temple jewelry here. Lovers of silver will not go away disappointed too as Kusuma Harnath Jewellers is right next to this store in Bangalore. This tiny shopping store stocks everything from thick silver chains to silver and stone earrings. The other place to look for silver is on Jewellers Street. KVK Krishnaiah Chetty, right at the entrance of the street, is an old shop that stocks some great stuff. You could also check silver jewelry at Alankrita, the antique store opposite it. Several silver jewelry shops down this lane also offer ear and nose piercing. One of the oldest and most popular shops to buy silver (from toe-rings to trinkets) from is Narayan Jewellers on Dispensary Road. Don’t miss.

 

Fancy an antique tiffin box? Or a wooden bangle stand with mirror? Check these out at Alankrita, a small but reputed antique store on Jewellers Street. If you love all things old (or at least old looking), Asiatic Arts and Crafts is a good bet too. This tiny store has been there since the 1960s and stocks old clocks, lamps, figurines, etc. In the mood for something truly exotic? Take a look at Triveni Vinod’s gem paintings at C Krishniah Chetty, made with real pearl, coral and other gems. Looking for unusual toys? For radio controlled helicopters, air rifles, fishing tackles and other unusual hobby equipment, check out the Indian Hobby Centre inside Shakthi Bazaar on Commercial Street. And don’t forget to check out Mecca Stores, for second hand books as well as clips, bangles, and homeware.

 

There are hundreds of other stores in and around Commercial Street, Bangalore apart from these. Most stores open by 10.30 AM. Carry cash for some of the smaller stores. The best part of Commercial Street and its bylanes is that one visit is never enough and every time you land up, you are surprised by a new discovery in one of the lanes. Check it out for shopping and enjoy!