Recently back from a trip back home, we drove to Bornova's Ikea and were amazed to see the Forum Bornova, a village-mall not only completed but swarming with people. The construction site of just a few weeks ago, had been replaced by a new shopping complex brimming with people on the last day of Bayram.
Next to Ikea, which opened in April 2006 but still working on persuading the local customer with its self-service DIY concept, the Bornova centre looks like a Moroccan resort sprinkled with details reminiscent of Parc Guell of Barcelona. 
It even has a kind of prominent turret-like structure not unlike a bell tower or a fortress.
Forum Bornova is literally constructed as a mini village, with street names, trees, fountains, mini ponds with bridges or stepping stones, cafés, and of course a variety of shops as well as cinemas.
There is a large Kipa food store but also smaller shops selling TVs and DVDs, CDs & books (D&R), watches and jewelry, fridges, washing machines, saucepans...
A host of clothes & shoe brands are present (including Top Shop, Next, Diesel, Massimo Dutti, Hotiç, Lewis, Collins, Lacoste, Stefanel, Guess, etc.), home decoration (Zara Home, Spazio), cosmetics (Douglas) and some food and beverage stops to restore you before you drop (including a Starbucks, Gloria's Coffee and thankfully, a rather discrete Mc Donalds).(scroll down for a link to a complete list of shops)
The streets are clean, clearly labeled with directions, and the general atmosphere, if totally artificial, leaves a rather positive impression. It's great that the climate allowing for an outside mall was acknowledged and put into practice. It's perhaps not as sophisticated as Istanbul's Kanyon, but it's an enjoyable shopping experience and it's appropriate in style to sunny Izmir. A new shopping oasis is born: Shopaholics, enjoy!
More information, including
a detailed list of shops
Site Map
Pictures
A calendar of events
cinema schedule
a press review...
9 comments:
Hi Izmir,
Thank you for commenting on my blog Adding a graphic to your Blogger beta blog Header. I have responded to the comment.
Hi,
I'm living in Monterey, CA. 45 miles from here in Gilroy, we have an open shopping mall which is an outlet center. Shopping under the sun isn't very pleasing during the summer but I really liked the architecture of Forum Bornoava. Well, I really wanted to see there. And what about the prices? Do you have sales or black-fridays in your country?
Lilith
Hi Lilith,
I haven't yet had the chance to shop at Bornova in the scorching sun, since the Forum opened in October, but I guess they'll have plenty of terraces with drinks and ice cream and sun-umbrellas.
Prices vary, but all imported goods/brands are heavily taxed in Turkey. We have sales, but I don't know what black-fridays are.
Sue
I visited to Forum Bornova.there is very beautiful and too expensive..I live in izmir..I work the hospital in Alsancak..I love İzmir..Everyboy must visit to here..;)
I visited Forum and it is such a beautiful place..! It is fantastic to shop when its summer because of the famous izmir breeze.. ( which is called imbat- fresh, soft but cool breeze ) Well I was loaded before I relaxed at a cafe sipping my turkish coffe...
Hi,
I have a question to make...How can somebody get from downtown(Izmir) to the Forum with public transportation?
You can take a metro from the long street oposite konak pier. Keep walking up this road until you get to the big M sign. Then board the metro get off in Bornova from there you should be able either take a walk (ask anybody for directions) or take a bus. The metro station has a bus terminal just outside. It's about 1 ytl to ride the metro.
Enjoy!!
Very nice photographs to your article. I was wondering why I have never seen them on Google images. Whenever I looked for images of Izmir, I found the same tired ones that are floating around. Yours really sparkle.
These photos were supplied the person that supplied the post and not by me. If you would like to look at some other nice photos if you check the aegean section in and also in the sunsets in Izmir sections which i think are really good pictures. You be the judge!!
Use the search section in the top left hand corner of the page to find the some other pictures and type either:
Sunsets
or
Aegean
Regards,
Izmir-2-Blogger
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