GAMA Supermarket & Departmental Store

GAMA Supermarket & Departmental Store, Penang (3 February 2013)


GAMA (GPS: 5.41349, 100.32815) is a department store in George Town, Penang. It occupies a prime real estate facing Magazine Circus, the junction where Dato Kramat Road meets Jalan Gurdwara (Brick Kiln Road), Macalister Road, Penang Road and Magazine Road. Officially GAMA Supermarket & Departmental Store, the retail outlet comprises four storeys of commercial levels and a basement carpark. It is bordered by Dato Kramat Road, Jalan Gurdwara, Jalan Trang and Tongkah Road.

GAMA opened for business on 8 December, 1980. It occupies the building called Wisma GAMA. At the time of its completion, it was the biggest standalone department store in Penang, before it was surpassed by Sunshine Square.

GAMA is said to be the first supermarket-cum-department-store in Penang. It was established as the Pulau Pinang Supermarket, which began operations in 1967 within the Chowrasta Market building. The founder was Kedah-born Chang Cheng Guan, who was inspired to venture into the retail business while visiting Singapore in 1964, and seeing the roaring business of stores such as C.K. Tang.

On 22 May 2022, GAMA was entered into the Malaysia Book of Records for being the oldest supermarket and departmental store in Malaysia.¹

Gama is on the Map of Jalan Dato Keramat, Penang

GAMA Supermarket & Departmental Store, as seen from Macalister Road (30 June 2018)


GAMA's excellent marketing visible from The Top at Komtar (28 January 2017)

Updates on Gama

11 February, 2014
According to The Star, GAMA is planning to build a 10-storey car park on a 10,000-square-foot plot of land bordered by Tongkah Road and Trang Road. The car park will be able to accommodate 260 cars. There will also be room to park 100 bicycles.

9 February, 2013
GAMA is undergoing an expansion program. Its latest renovation involves adding an additional level to the building.

19 December, 2011
To celebrate its 31st year in operations, GAMA underwent a RM10 million renovation on all its floors, in the process adding another 20,000 sqft (2,322 sq m) of retail space, to a total of 150,000 sqft. All floors are now equiped with disabled-friendly toilets.

Getting to GAMA

GAMA Supermarket & Departmental Store is located along Jalan Dato Keramat. From the Weld Quay Ferry & Bus Terminal, take Rapid Penang bus no. 201, 202, 203, 204, 206 and 301 to Jalan Dato Keramat.

GAMA Supermarket & Departmental Store (2 December 2008)

Nearby Sights

Nearby Shopping

References

List of Department Stores in Penang and Department Stores in Malaysia