Saigon Tax Trade Centre

Saigon Tax Trade Centre, also known in Vietnamese as Thương xá TAX, is a historic retail institution in central Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Its identity is closely associated with a former department-store building at 135 Nguyen Hue Boulevard and 39 Le Loi Boulevard, at a prominent intersection in what is now District 1. The property stood near several of the city’s best-known commercial, civic, and tourist destinations and became a recognizable part of central Saigon’s streetscape. The building’s commercial history began in 1924, when it was established as the Grands Magasins Charner department store during the French colonial period. Over time, the site became known as the Tax Trade Centre and served as a department store and general retail destination. Its central location made it accessible to local shoppers as well as domestic and international visitors. The former premises were associated with a broad department-store format rather than a single product category, combining retail shopping with the sale of locally representative goods. The original department store closed in late September 2014. It was subsequently demolished in October 2016 as part of plans for a major redevelopment known as Satra TAX Plaza, described as a 40-floor complex with a department-store podium intended to preserve much of the former building’s design. The redevelopment site has also been affected by construction related to Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 1; the referenced account describes the location as an empty plot with metro ventilation infrastructure along Le Loi Boulevard and an entrance to the Opera House station nearby. Although the historic building no longer operates, the Saigon Tax Trade Centre name continues under SATRA through a distributed retail model. Rather than relying on one department-store building, the operation consists of seven stores in and around District 1. These outlets sell handicrafts, Vietnamese specialties, souvenirs, and food and beverage products. Their locations on Nguyen Hue, Le Loi, Dong Khoi, and Phan Chu Trinh streets keep the retail presence close to the former site and within the city’s principal visitor and shopping district. The brand therefore has two connected meanings: historically, it refers to a landmark department store and building; operationally, it refers to a SATRA-linked network of smaller retail stores presenting Vietnamese products and visitor-oriented merchandise. The available reference material does not establish the current ownership structure beyond the brand’s membership in SATRA, nor does it provide current revenue, employee, executive, or redevelopment completion information.

The origins of Saigon Tax Trade Centre are traced to 1924, when a department-store building was erected in central Saigon under the name Grands Magasins Charner. The property occupied a prominent corner at the junction of Nguyen Hue Boulevard and Le Loi Boulevard, corresponding to 135 Nguyen Hue Boulevard and 39 Le Loi Boulevard. Its location in the historic commercial core of present-day Ho Chi Minh City helped make it a notable retail landmark. The building later became associated with the Tax Trade Centre, or Thương xá TAX. In its department-store era, it functioned as a general retail destination serving residents and visitors. Its central position near major streets and tourist sites supported a role beyond ordinary neighborhood shopping, and the name became connected with the commercial image of central Saigon. The original department store closed in late September 2014. Demolition followed in October 2016, when the site was cleared for planned redevelopment as Satra TAX Plaza, a proposed 40-floor complex. Plans described a department-store podium that would retain much of the architectural appearance of the former trade centre, linking the proposed new development to the site’s retail heritage. The available reference does not confirm that the proposed tower or reconstructed podium was completed. The site has also been affected by the construction of Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 1. The referenced description identifies the location as an empty plot with metro ventilation infrastructure beside Le Loi Boulevard and an entrance to the Opera House station nearby. The Saigon Tax Trade Centre name has nevertheless continued as a SATRA-linked retail operation. The post-demolition model is distributed across seven stores rather than concentrated in the former department-store building. The stores are located on Nguyen Hue, Le Loi, Dong Khoi, and Phan Chu Trinh streets in District 1 and sell handicrafts, Vietnamese specialties, souvenirs, and food and beverage products. This arrangement preserves a commercial presence in the same central urban area while shifting the brand toward specialty retail and products associated with Vietnam and tourism. The brand’s history consequently combines colonial-era department-store origins, a long-running central-city retail identity, the closure and demolition of its best-known building, and a later continuation through smaller outlets. Publicly available material supplied for this entry does not establish a precise founding date for the Tax Trade Centre name itself, individual founders, current executives, financial performance, or the final status of the Satra TAX Plaza proposal.

• 2016

  Former building is demolished

  [1]Saigon Tax Trade Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The historic structure is demolished in October for a planned Satra TAX Plaza redevelopment.

• 2014

  Historic department store closes

  [1]Saigon Tax Trade Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The original department-store premises close in late September, ending the building’s operation as the central Tax Trade Centre.

• 1924

  Grands Magasins Charner building is established

  [1]Saigon Tax Trade Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The building later associated with Saigon Tax Trade Centre is constructed as the Grands Magasins Charner department store in central Saigon.

• Brand operates through seven District 1 stores

  [1]Saigon Tax Trade Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The SATRA-linked operation continues through seven stores around Nguyen Hue, Le Loi, Dong Khoi, and Phan Chu Trinh streets.

A heritage-linked urban retail brand focused on Vietnamese products, souvenirs, handicrafts, specialties, and visitor-oriented shopping in central Ho Chi Minh City.

• Specialty retail

  Handicrafts

  The continuing retail network sells Vietnamese handicrafts as part of its heritage and visitor-oriented assortment. These products connect the brand with locally made goods and give the stores a specialty-retail role distinct from the broad department-store format of the former central building.

• Food and regional products

  Vietnamese specialties

  Vietnamese specialties are among the principal product categories identified for the current stores. The assortment is positioned around products representing Vietnam and is suitable for both domestic shoppers and international visitors seeking locally associated goods.

• Tourist retail

  Souvenirs

  Souvenirs form another core category in the post-department-store retail model. Their inclusion reflects the outlets’ locations in central District 1 and their role in serving visitors as well as local customers.

• Food and beverage

  Food and beverage offerings

  The current network also includes food and beverage products or services. The available source identifies F&B as part of the stores’ commercial scope but does not specify individual brands, menus, formats, or operating arrangements.

• 2016

  Site redevelopment and transition away from the landmark buildingStrategy

  Background

  The former department-store property was cleared as part of plans for a 40-floor Satra TAX Plaza complex.

  Action taken

  The historic structure was demolished, with plans describing a department-store podium that would retain much of the former design.

  Aftermath

  The referenced material describes the site as still undeveloped in connection with metro infrastructure, while the Saigon Tax Trade Centre name continued through seven nearby retail stores.

  Source

• 2014

  Closure of the original department-store premisesStrategy

  Background

  The historic Tax Trade Centre building had operated as a major central retail destination, but the premises closed in late September 2014.

  Action taken

  The department-store operation at the original building was discontinued ahead of later site clearance and redevelopment.

  Aftermath

  The original building no longer served as the brand’s retail venue. The brand later continued through stores distributed around District 1.

  Source

• 2016

  Historic Tax Trade Centre building is demolished for redevelopment[1]Saigon Tax Trade Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The former building was demolished in October 2016 in connection with plans for the Satra TAX Plaza complex.

• 2014

  Saigon Tax Trade Centre closes its historic department-store premises[1]Saigon Tax Trade Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The former central Ho Chi Minh City department store ceased operations in late September 2014.

• Saigon Tax Trade Centre continues through a seven-store retail model[1]Saigon Tax Trade Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The brand is described as operating seven retail stores in District 1 selling handicrafts, Vietnamese specialties, souvenirs, and food and beverage products.

1. 1Saigon Tax Trade Centreen.wikipedia.org