Flea Bazaar Cafe

FLEA BAZAAR CAFE BUYER'S EXPERIENCE

Flea Bazaar Cafe Where: Kamala Mills,Oasis City, Lower Parel, Mumbai Cuisines: American, Asian, Street Food, Indian, Lucknowi, Mexican, Chinese, Italian Average Cost: Rs. 800 for two people Timings: 12 pm- 1am

A cafe with a unique concept located at the entrance of Kamala Mills in Lower Parel, Flea Bazaar Cafe has managed to capture the hearts of Mumbaikars. It is a sophisticated take on a food hall concept. With the classic bazaar vibe that evokes a nostalgic appeal and the Instagram worthy facades, it is ideal for all ages.

The outer facade is slightly underwhelming and hardly gives a peek into the vibrance of the cafe. Flea Bazaar Cafe, accordding to its name has a flea bazaar setup.

There are over 12 restaurant stalls all around that serve a huge variety of cuisines.

The seating options are as varied as the food for offer. This could make it a little clustered for the customers but does add to the vibe and is in sync with the theme.

The very green wall next to the unique staircase seating is definitely something that stands out. The lights are bright and add to the decor. The fairy lights add to the pretty aesthetic while the edison bulbs and neon light signs elevate the interiors along with providing adequate and interesting brightness. The music is very hip while also being subtle. All of this makes the atmosphere very relaxing and fun. The decor is very Indian and classic mixed with cool and trendy graphics that make the place a hot spot for Instagram obsessed millenials.

Flea Bazaar Cafe is a beautiful concept restaurant that is a market and a food court all wrapped up in one with a gorgeous festive vibe which makes it the perfect place to chill for a variety of customers.

“I found the location very convenient and easily accessible.

While the outer displays weren’t particularly appealing, the interiors definitely impressed me. It was very unique. The ambience is very peaceful and the music adds to a great overall experience. The decor and lights are in sync with the unique concept.

The vibe was very festive and I would definitely visit this place again.”

-Sanjna Urval

I visited this place and found it insanely amazing. The cafe gives the actual feel of a flea bazaar. The fairy lights and the unique staircase seating make it look different and unlike most ordinary cafes. I feel like that creates the vibe of the place. It is easy to reach. There are various seating arrangements and food joints to choose from. I really like the graphics as well. They are trendy and the youth find it relatable. The lights are sufficient for food and photography and the fixtures are very aesthetic. All in all, it was a very lively space that has a good party vibe and is a good place to hang out and chill at.

-Nitya Baid

“I stumbled across this gem while looking for places to eat at Kamala Mills. The location of the cafe is popular for having pretty cafes and hence, that is an advantage. I found the cafe very happening.

The ambience is bomb. The lights which they have hung up look really pretty. I also really liked this one neon sign which looks really cool. The seating arrangement was a little weird. I found the tables too close to each other. The music was also hip while not being too loud. I really liked the concept of the different stalls which served a variety of food. The choices are great. I loved the theme and decor and could definitely just chill there for a few hours.�

-Omi Upadhyay

“I was tempted into entering due to the paan wala outside. It is located in a good space. My first impression was that there was a huge variety and great ambience. The vibe was very interesting. It felt like an actual flea bazaar. The seating was very comfortable and work friendly. The graphics were very relatable.

I loved the Indian decor. The music was very engaging and good as well.”

-Rheaa Rajiv

“The cafe was very vibrant and lovely.

The cafe was very underwhelming on the outside. The surrounding cafes looked more appealing. The interior ambience is good; however, the seating could have been better. The layout was good but the bar could have been at a better place. I liked the overall vibe but I felt like the music and sounds get too loud when there is an event.”

-Raj Katwala

FLEA BAZAAR CAFE DESIGNER'S REVIEW

Flea Bazaar Cafe is a truly unique space in terms of concept. The idea of a classic food court has been revamped and given a chic twist in this huge expanse of 7000 sq. ft. The cafe not only has a variety of food to attract customers, but its design also plays an important role.

Flea Bazaar Cafe is located in Lower Parel in the Kamala Mills Compound. The Kamala Mills Compound is known for the numerous trendy cafes and restaurants it houses like Grandmama’s Cafe, Lord of the Drinks, and Farzi Cafe. This makes it a hotspot for the youth and people wanting to experiment with new eateries. This makes the location a very smart choice as it attracts a bunch of customers and drives up business.

From a strictly aesthetic viewpoint however, the outer facade does not help the cafe in any way. It is very underwhelming when compared to the interiors. The lights are very dull and with the exception of a paan wala, nothing gives an indication of the theme that the cafe is so proud of. This does not help the cafe attract customers.

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The paan wala adds to the curiosity

The ambience is something that truly stands out. With a variety of lights, seating, and decor, it has a festive vibe all around. A constant party, the interior design is a combination of funky yellow bulbs and fairy lights, exposed beams and brick walls, mismatched chairs and tables, and trendy graphics. A bit cramped and chaotic, it has the ideal vibe of a flea bazaar and definitely lives up to its name. It is ideal for groups looking for a place to relax and unwind for long periods of time.

The layout has a great flow in theory but has a few flaws when it comes to the practicality. The cafe houses various eatery stalls. The stalls are spaced out and located in an ideal way that doesn’t obstruct the flow of the planning. Every stall has visibility from all corners of the cafe. The seating, however, is an issue as there is a lot of variety. This becomes cramped and creates obstructions. Another issue with the layout is the fact that the cafe calls for self service. This with the cramped tables and seating makes it difficult for customers to walk around easily. The layout could be changed to address these issues.

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A huge variety of seating can cause confusion

The lights are definitely a good decision. There is a pell-mell of fairy lights, bulbs, and fixtures. Despite the huge number of lights, they are subtle and add a quaint charm to the atmosphere. We also noticed that the intensity of the lights is slowly increased as the day progresses to compensate for the natural light. Another interesting design aspect of the lights was how they incorporated lights in their graphics. The cafe is lined with logos of social media applications like tinder, twitter, Facebook, and Google chrome that light up with led strips. This makes them stand out. These cool fixtures and shapes of the lights also make it very interesting to the younger generation.

The cafe is highly interactive as it has a variety of cuisines to choose from. The format is self service. The decor makes for highly aesthetic picture backdrops. The cafe focuses on being trendy and cool and this is clearly reflected in the decor. A few changes in the layout and the outer facade would help the cafe increase the number of customers that they attract. A few additions and changes in the decor would also help keep it current and in trend.

Case study presented by: Hitanshi Kamdar Nitya Baid Fashion Communication Semester V, Group A