Return to Home Page Harrys Greece Guide

Syntagma Shopping The Attika Mall Page 1

The Attika Mall. Click  to see this cool old building largerMany of Greece's smaller traditional clothing outlets are fast vanishing, due to globalization. I guess that really means they are being put out of business by globalization because they can not compete. Friends of mine have closed stores due to Zara opening in the neighborhood. (Zara is a Spanish chain store.)

Pan-coz-mee-o-pee-ee-cee  ('pan-world-pressure' or globalization) affects more than the food industry. The independent clothing industry and schmatta dealer is affected too and if you bear with me you I'll tell you how you can take advantage of that and make Athens a shopping destination.

Sales in August:
The Attika Mall (Largest Department Store in Greece)
& Kolonaki Sq. (Mall photo above left)

click to see largerAs I mention in the what not to pack section, August in Athens is sale time. But what's new is and only 1/2 a block out of Syntagma Sq is a huge designer mall with many European retail shops familiar to you and others you may have never heard of! Click to see larger->

Of course the big known designers are all there as this is an upscale mall, perhaps the most upscale mall in Athens although haute couture maybe also be found in nearby Kolonaki a ten minute walk away.

{In fact, for shoe stores, Kolonaki Sq, is heaven with many quality Greek and Italian copies and designer originals too. You can read more about shopping and particularly for more casual wear in the what not to pack for Greece section}

what to know exactly what stores there are here?Click the graphic left for a complete list of stores in the mall. There are over 800 brand names represented there. Footwear, travel accessories, perfumes and cosmetics, accessories, men's, women's, and children's fashions and that's just for starters there are also baby products and toys. Its like Saks, Barney's, Macy's or Bloomingdale's or Filene's or Marshall Field' all combined into one building.

If you are in Syntagma Sq. in August or whenever, and if you like to shop, then this mall, you should check out! The Attika Mall, with its ultra-chic and expensive shops is in the old Tameion building. In that building, which is now totally renovated and huge; it takes up the whole block, bounded by Stadiou, Academias, Voukourestiou and Amerikis street and where were also housed both Wendy's hamburgers and Hagen-Daz ice cream which are now replaced by pricey, soulless chrome, trendy cafes.

Attika Mall Page 1 | 2