Kathmandu

Ranjana Galli is a hub for wholesale trade. Retailers throng at this narrow lane to buy clothes, accessories, shoes, et cetera for their shops. Adding to the vibrancy of this wholesale market is Apple Plaza Wholesale Market in Phashikeba. Opened on November 27, 2015, the plaza has a galore of items — men’s wear, women’s wear, shoes and accessories — made in Nepal as well as imports from Bangladesh, India, China and Thailand.

New plaza

Enter Ranjana Galli from New Road and take the left path. Take few steps ahead and on your left, eight-storied modern building of Apple Plaza welcomes you with a bright shiny hoarding board with the symbol of apple.

“The building of Apple Plaza is not beside the main road for retail trade. It is in an alley behind a tall building in Phashikeba known for wholesale business. Thus, we decided to open a wholesale market,” informed Prabesh Tamrakar, Chairman of Ranjana Investment Company about their endeavour.

The Plaza is a subsidiary of Ranjana Investment Company that spreads in an area of around 2,000 square feet. Giving a short and sweet name to their market, they named it ‘Apple Plaza’.

At this new wholesale destination, you can get goods from Nepal, India, Bangladesh, China and Thailand but in reasonable prices.

Tamrakar elaborates it as, “Some of our wholesalers import goods directly from China and Bangladesh. Due to this, customers can get products in reasonable price in comparison to other wholesale stores in the area who purchase from others.”

The Plaza not only offers shopping experience to retailers but to any regular shopper. As per Tamrakar, “there are dealers who also deal as retailer as the market is new and they are able to do so”.

More on their new wholesale destination, Tamrakar emphasised that “the building is earthquake resistant with the capacity to hold 10 Richter scale earthquake with solar backup for electricity”. The Plaza that opens from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm every day except on Saturdays, has eight toilets but no parking or elevator facility.

Different offerings

Thirty stores adorn the Apple Plaza from its basement to second floor. Clothes of men, women and children fill the stores on basement, ground and first floor. Ladies’ shoes are on sale on the second floor while the rest of the floors have been turned to a warehouse.

Offering Nepali products unlike other wholesale markets, is Sumi Traders which is in the basement. Nepal made shirts, tee-shirts, jackets and wind cheater for men as well as shirts and pants for ladies are available here.

“They are made in Nepal at the factories located in Bhaktapur and Nayabazaar,” Surendra Pariyar, owner of Sumi Traders shared about his products adding, “We also import materials from India, China, Taiwan, and Bangladesh. And we sell pants, shirts, tee-shirts and so on in a set of minimum five and above or according to the colour and size of shirts that comes in size M, L, XL and XXL.”

Adjacent to it is Apple Store that deals with children wears for children from six months and above, along with clothes for men and women. Products imported from China and Thailand, you have to buy them in a set of six in minimum.

Buying tee-shirt at Apple Store was Gyanendra Kayastha, who owns a clothing store at Bhaktapur.

“I was attracted by good looking tee-shirts displayed here. The store does have a new collection,” he shared about the Plaza on his first visit.

When many dealers are on wholesale business, Saurya Traders on the first floor also deals in retail. You can get ladies’ casual and formal readymade items like dress, tee-shirts, shirts, summer jackets and more.

On the same floor is G4 store where you can purchase traditional attires like lehenga choli, anarkali, and kurta salwar brought from India. As per Narendra Maharjan, staff of the store, one has to buy minimum of two sets.

On the second floor, you can purchase ladies shoes from size 35 to 39 where one has to buy at least five pairs of made-in-China shoes.

Price ListMiss

Shoes: Rs 400 to Rs 600

G4 store

Anarkali: Rs 2,850 to Rs 5,250

Kurta salwar: Rs 3,450 to Rs 5,250

Lehenga: Rs 3,500 to Rs 6,500

Saurya Traders

Dress: Rs 775 to Rs 2,500

Tee-shirt: Rs 452 to Rs 775

Leggings: Rs 525 to Rs 625

Apple Store

Gent’s tee-shirt: Rs 240 to Rs 620

Ladies Pant: Rs 600 to Rs 700

Ladies tee-shirt: Rs 300 to Rs 400

Sumi Traders

Shirt: Rs 300 to Rs 650

Wind cheater: Rs 325 to Rs 850

Shorts: Rs 400 to Rs 650