FIVE DECADES AND STILL GOING STRONG

Gobind N Mahtani of India Silk House spoke to Chennaibest.com in-between his busy schedule as he personally overlooked operations at the showroom.

India Silk House was started in 1947, the year of Indian Independence, in the same place as it stands today, with just 100 square feet of space. It was started by the four Mahtani brothers - Hemandas Mahtani, Lalchand Mahtani, Nanikiran Mahtani and Mangharam Mahtani.  Over the years, as we prospered and our clientele grew bigger and bigger, we bought the ground floor and took up the second floor also.  Today, we have over 4,000 square feet of showroom space.

Chennai was the right market.  At the time when we started, this was the only place where anybody who was somebody in South India would come to buy their furnishings and wardrobe requirements.  Our client list will not only read like the who’s who of Chennai but more like the who’s who of South India.

The top film companies like Gemini Films, thespians N T Rama Rao and Chevalier Sivaji Ganesan are some of our prominent customers.  Only if there is a good reason will people like these, shop with us.  A good majority of our customers are regulars over the years.

We don’t have hurried shopping.  Bulk buying and bulk selling is not for us.  We do not believe in all that.  And we don’t want crowds.  We offer shopping at leisure. For the elite. We have items which are not stocked by others, so those who want those particular products know without any doubt that if they come here their needs will be satisfied.

Since we also figure in Lonely Planet, which is the 'Gospel' for the foreign tourist, we also have a regular stream of foreign tourists.

There is no specialist source for anyone in India.  Everybody sources from the same place.  Some players in the market have created this myth and false image that they have exclusive places from where they source their sarees.  It is not so.  We source from all over India, for various sarees. 

Apart from Benaras Silk sarees, our pure wool garments, for winter, especially for those who are going on a tour or on work abroad, they come to us for replenishing their wardrobe.  Ethnic wear like sherwanis, kurtas for men and women. Designer sarees. We stock all the top brands in readymades.

There are few impulse buys, but not much as a percentage because the customers coming to us are very specific about their requirements and most of the purchases from our regular customers are planned purchases.

The Chennai shopper generally is not aware of the intricate details. He generally tends to accept whatever the shopkeeper says.

There is quite a balance between purchases for traditional fabric and patterns and between the contemporary designs and the latest fabric.

Is there any specific trend that you notice in buying patterns in Chennai?

The Chennai shopper is not at all brand-conscious, like the Mumbai or Delhi shopper. 

This is a very conservative, but huge market.  Buyers are conservative when it comes to spending, even though they may be quite well off.  They don’t splurge like the Delhi or Mumbai shopper.  They buy only according to their needs.

Address: India Silk House, New No. 40, (Old No. 846), Anna Salai,
Chennai 600 002.
Phone: 2853 5178 / 4804.

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