Garden City to open last area with aim to rival Taipei 101

Taipei, Aug. 18 (CNA) Garden City, a shopping mall in the Taipei Dome complex, is scheduled to begin trial operations for its final and largest area -- Monet Garden -- operator Far Eastern SOGO Department Stores announced Tuesday.

Speaking with reporters, Far Eastern SOGO President for Business Operations Wu Su-yin (吳素吟) said Monet Garden (designated Area B) covers about 30,000 ping (99,180 square meters) and will accommodate more than 560 brands, including 200 opening their first stores in Taiwan.

Wu said the opening of the new area is expected to help Garden City rival Taipei 101, the landmark shopping center in Taipei.

"Garden City aims to become a new landmark shopping center in the capital city," Wu said.

The opening of Monet Garden follows more than 1,200 days of preparatory work, Wu said. Three other areas -- the Garden of Lights (Area A), the Garden Corridor (Area C) and The Rim (Area D) -- have already opened to the public. Area A houses a large cinema complex.

Wu said Garden City will target both young and urban consumers, offering a wide range of brands spanning luxury goods, beauty and cosmetics, sports, family-oriented merchandise, smart home appliances and dining.

In its basement, Garden City has Taiwan's largest beauty, cosmetics and perfume shopping zone with more than 50 brands, while what Far Eastern SOGO describes as Taiwan's first over eight-meter-tall perfume fountain has been set up to give consumers an "immersive fragrance experience."

Garden City also has a total of 11,000 ping of floor space housing 150 restaurant brands, Far Eastern SOGO said.

On the B2 level of Monet Garden, a 3,000-ping area will house more than 80 restaurant brands. Japanese supermarket chain LOPIA is scheduled to open there in the fourth quarter.

On the seventh floor of Monet Garden, 11 international restaurants will open, including six making their Taiwan debuts, such as Japanese hotpot restaurant IPPIKI and Vietnamese restaurant Masion Viet, Far Eastern SOGO said.

The eighth floor will feature 11 Michelin-starred or Bib Gourmand restaurants, including Taiwanese restaurant Fu Yuan and The Grill by A Cut, forming a restaurant cluster, the company added.

Wu said Garden City seeks to combine the surrounding cultural and creative park with events such as sporting competitions and concerts at the Taipei Dome to create a multifunctional shopping mall integrating shopping, dining and leisure.

She said that because the shopping center is located in the Taipei Dome complex, Garden City's biggest challenge is that, in addition to complying with regulations governing large shopping malls, it must also accommodate the stadium's large crowds and take into account public security requirements.