MAKING MALLS MORE ATTRACTIVE
Having more entertainment establishments adds to a mall’s vibrancy, especially those that also offer F&B concepts, noted Ms Sulian Tan-Wijaya, executive director of retail and lifestyle at real estate firm Savills Singapore.
With shoppers avoiding malls due to boredom from seeing the same stores everywhere, malls should distinguish themselves by looking out for new concepts to draw younger patrons, she added.
“Rather than relying on traditional safe brands which are everywhere, they proactively seek and court new brands or concepts which are relevant and on-trend,” she said.
Retail head at real estate firm Knight Frank Ethan Hsu gave examples of crowd-pullers like department stores, flagship concept stores and indoor playgrounds.
“Wellness, fitness, entertainment – these seem to be what Singaporeans and visitors to Singapore are embracing currently,” he added.
The malls have also been organising events to bring families together, which Mr Hsu said is the right direction to be headed in.
“People go to malls now not just to transact, but it’s also to form a certain kind of interaction with either their loved ones, or their friends, or just to learn something there,” he said.
“Malls no longer can just rely on getting in the tenants that can sell something.”
He suggested that, for instance, malls could partner with an urban farm. Shoppers can then grow, name or adopt plants, which will make them part of a community and encourage future visits.
