GAP is finally in SA

This past Tuesday I was kindly invited to the launch of the the second stand alone GAP store in South Africa (the first one opend the day before in Sandton). I was a completly taken aback when the invite said that the shop was opening in Tiger Valley. Call me a Southern Suberbs snob but really why did they open in Tiger Vally Mall of all places?

 So I trekked out to Tiger Valley in rush hour traffic to attend the launch. I felt completely out of place as I was the only person without an ipad or at least an iphone. Everyone looked very important or was trying to look very important and I was just trying to look at the prices and not spill my drink.

 The GAP shop is quite big in South African standards but not comparied to GAP stores around the world which are usually two stories. The shop looks great, it is well set out and beautifully merchandised but I was very dissapinted with the prices. GAP in the USA is known for being affordable, but GAP SA is not, its about R300 for a plain white T-shirt and that's crazy considering you know its being mass preduced in Veitman and being shipped around the world. A pair of jeans is about R800.

I really do hope they open another branch in Cape Town, one which is eather in the Waterfront or at least in Cavendish, if you don't live in the Northern Suburbs its really not worth going all the way to Tiger Valley just for the GAP because its probably still cheaper to buy it when you are next overseas.  

They very kindly gave us a discount for the opening night but with the loud music, too few changing rooms and the big crowd it became a bit too overwhelming to think about shopping (and the opening was in the middle of the month) I think I will wait for a sale to buy a paid of jeans.