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The Delhi State Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) has opened the first liquor shop in a Delhi shopping mall at DLF Place,Saket,and another at West Gate Mall,Rajouri Garden. Both are called “High Times”.

The shop on the ground floor of DLF Place is clean,well-lit and has bottles neatly stacked up on the wall. Like all Dilliwallahs who doll up to go to the mall,this sarkari undertaking has taken on some style.

It is hard to miss the wine section as you enter the shop; this was a conscious decision,says store manager,Surender Kumar. “The wines are quite popular. Women find it more comfortable to pick up alcohol here. At any other wine shop in the city they have to fight for space with men or they have to ask someone else to pick up a bottle. The Australian wines are a big hit,” says Kumar. The prices begin at Rs 300 for a bottle and go up to Rs 16,000 for a Johnny Walker Blue Label,the most expensive tipple here.

“A lot of people come here after shopping for grocery or clothes,” says Kumar. Not surprising,since the shop is right next to Le Marche,a busy department store.

Kumar and the rest of the staff,in their blue uniforms,are quick to name foreign and domestic alcohol brands to help out confused customers. “We would want more people to walk in. We have the same rates as any other government alcohol shop,” says Kumar. With new fathers trying to manoeuvre strollers through the rum aisles,and women taking their time to choose a wine to go with the salad,it looks like the alcohol shop is now in a “family” space.