GUM

Very impressive but also the best example of russian “Art de Vivre”.
I loved the architecture I believe it was an official building before refurbishment but also the way the project promoters have redesigned the place to make one of the best shopping mall I have visited yet.

GUM is just too exclusive. Unless you have the dizzying wealth of a Russian oil oligarch, it make just make you feel inadequate and resentful of all the bespoke Dior dresses you can’t afford. The roof is cool though and the cafe serves a nice cup of coffee (the only thing I could afford!!)

This shopping mal didn’t sell nothing during socialistic time but nowadays you get all the desinger stuff in there. It belong to an Italian invester company.

Just another shopping mall – all of the Soviet history has long since been covered over by all-too-fashionable shops.

I agree with the others, Gum is just a standard collection of shops, but it’s worth popping in after you’ve seen Red Square, because they have a (deliberately kept) flock of birds (Starlings?) flying around inside the glass roof. That was quite a bizarre sight.

Yeah, I ve been there a lot of time, and first of all, if you are Flickr user, don’t forget to buy some batteries for your cam, because you would spend time to find out those inside this huge trade center. Even if there is a shop called – ION (or something like that) and specialized in selling the electronics, they sucks… and everything is expensive. I coudn’t buy there batteries and walk trough Red Square to one man who sell them for 400% price and they were the last… So Tip number one: Charge you batteries! and have another pack with yourself. And also if you have time look up for a man (clone of Lenin) catch him on your cam, he always drinking beers or staff like that. You know it’s Russia, and even if it’s forbidden people like to drink it… or I’m wrong?! truth will be if i would use: -” they Love to Drink Alcohols.”

You could stop by if you’re in the area, but it’s expensive, and not worth the trip alone (but I guess people stop by when they visit the Red Square). A lot of western stores, and not at all typically russian.