Viveks, a prominent name in the consumer durables space and Tamil Nadu’s retail landscape, has shut its outlets across various centres.

When contacted, the family responded through an e-mail note which said: “Since May 1965, Viveks has been part of Chennai’s retail story. After careful thought, the family has decided to pause all retail and e-commerce operations.”

According to the note, there are no pending customer orders, and all employees have been paid in full. “This decision reflects a personal choice about the road ahead, not a reflection on the business itself. We remain deeply grateful to every customer and associate who walked this journey with us over the decades,” the family said. The company was started by B. A. Lakshmi Narayana Setty and after he passed away his brother B.A. Kodandaraman Setty took over the company.

Three different sources in the retail industry attributed the closure to differences within the promoter’s family, but no further details were available.

A source who is associated with the family said: “This is a pause and not an end. Having known the brand and family they will come back,” he pointed out. He further said that consumer durables firm Vasanth & Co has taken over Vivek’s stores in three locations – Nanganallur, Selaiyur, and Vadapalani. “All these were rental spaces and Vasanth & Co has taken over. They have also taken a warehouse in Virugambakkam (around 15,000 sq. ft.),” he added.

Viveks opened its first showroom near Sanskrit College, Mylapore, in the city in 1965. Its second branch came up in Purasaiwalkam in 1969, followed by another outlet in T. Nagar in 1980. “The T. Nagar outlet attracted huge crowds, given its proximity to several other retail stores. Viveks also stocked all the international brands,” said P. Shanmugam, a resident of Usman Road.

For generations of middle class families, Viveks was more than a consumer durables store; it was an emotion. And, long before e-commerce, families flocked to its outlets, with some even spending the night outside its T. Nagar shop during festive seasons to be among the first to grab the offers.

Over the years, Viveks introduced several innovative initiatives. For instance, in 1965 it introduced the hire purchase scheme, which enabled underprivileged customers to buy electrical appliances by paying as little as ₹1 initially and repaying the balance over a period of time.

Looking at the response to this initiative, the company started Vivek Hire Purchase and Leasing Company Limited (VHPL), a Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC) in 1991, later acquired by AIG Group (American International Group), USA.

“All my family members have been purchasing electronic goods from Viveks for the last five decades. For many families, Viveks is also a place for wedding shopping,” recalled Shiva, an LIC agent. While the family calls it a “pause”, regular customers including Shiva and Shanmugam hope Viveks will return.