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SINGAPORE: Business owners and tenants at Marina Square had heard rumours about redevelopment for some time, but did not expect the entire mall to be affected so soon, they told CNA.<\/p>\n
All those CNA spoke to learnt on Tuesday morning (Sep 1) that the mall would close in March 2027 for redevelopment. Several heard it from concerned customers before receiving an official notice from mall management.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tenants whose leases run beyond March 2027 also raised questions about compensation.<\/p>\n
Singapore Land Group (SingLand) announced on Tuesday morning that Marina Square Shopping Mall would close on Mar 31, 2027, as part of plans to redevelop the area to add luxury homes, a new hotel, serviced apartments and offices.<\/p>\n
The redevelopment is expected to be completed by 2031. The three existing hotels at the complex will remain open throughout construction, while the four-storey Marina Square mall will undergo an asset enhancement initiative covering more than 76,000 sq m of gross floor area.<\/p>\n
Ms May Teo, who owns Stoneage Collection on the third floor, said she first heard rumours of the mall’s overhaul about a year ago. Her shop has been at Marina Square for 22 years.<\/p>\n
She asked management about the plans then but was told nothing was confirmed. When the news broke on Tuesday, customers texted her about the closure, leading her to conclude the move was confirmed.<\/p>\n
\u201cActually on and off, I keep telling customers maybe next year will be our last year. But they still suggest I go find other places. But for my age \u2026 if I find another new location, I need to put in a lot of effort again,\u201d the 65-year-old said, adding that renovating another outlet would be too expensive.<\/p>\n
She intends to keep her shop open until March 2027. Her lease ends in September 2027, and she questioned how the mall would compensate her for having to move out early.<\/p>\n
Ms Joraine Tan, who owns trampoline fitness outlet Prestique Studio, said she was surprised by the short notice. Her lease ends in December 2027.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was no relocation option for us so we hope to seek further clarity and details from the mall so that we can better plan for our exit,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
She had heard rumours of the redevelopment but nothing concrete. Fellow tenants with earlier lease expiries had also heard nothing, so they assumed exits would happen in phases or upon lease expiry.<\/p>\n
The studio, which opened in 2021 and has only this outlet, will need to find a new location.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are offers given to us by various malls as many are keen to have us since we are lifestyle-centric and we have a niche workout that appeals to most and can potentially be a crowd puller. However, it is definitely a hassle to move and we are concerned about the costs for relocation,\u201d said Ms Tan.<\/p>\n
A manager at Sharewow, who also declined to be named, said they also learnt of the news through messages from customers and online news articles on Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n
\u201cI only heard rumours about a few weeks ago,\u201d he said, adding that he did not hear about the March 2027 timeline.<\/p>\n
The 3D figurine printing shop opened in Marina Square in 2024. The employee did not know what would happen to the shop\u2019s existing lease after March 2027, or what they plan to do after it lapses.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe only thing that we feel the pain is, we did the renovations. The renovation is expensive and it only lasted three years. That\u2019s the thing that hits the hardest,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
In response to queries about what would happen to the leases that run beyond March 2027, a SingLand spokesperson said it has communicated its redevelopment plans to the tenants and will work closely with them throughout the transition period.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe value the relationships we have built with our tenants and are committed to ensuring a fair and considerate process,\u201d the spokesperson said, adding that it remains business as usual at Marina Square.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeyond providing the requisite notice, we will engage tenants on the timeline and next steps, including matters relating to the reinstatement of their premises, so they can plan ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n
The team will continue to curate marketing initiatives, events and partnerships to drive shopper footfall and support retail sales during the transition period, said the spokesperson, noting that the mall will celebrate its 40th anniversary leading up to March 2027.<\/p>\n
The owner of Coco Veggie Nyonya Cuisine, who only wanted to be known as Mr Gan, told CNA his lease ends in March.<\/p>\n
He plans to find another outlet in another mall, he said, adding that other malls already started approaching him when news of the area\u2019s redevelopment first broke two years ago.<\/p>\n
His restaurant started as a stall in Koufu in 2019. After the food court closed in 2020, the management offered him a larger unit for a restaurant and he has operated there since.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t feel much. No matter where you open a shop in Singapore, it doesn\u2019t last long. After your three-year lease is up, landlords will always raise your rent. So I wouldn\u2019t be hopeful about staying in one spot for a long time,\u201d said Mr Gan.<\/p>\n
An employee at The Toy Folks, who declined to be named, said the team is considering moving elsewhere, but is still in the process of finding out the cost of rent at other malls.<\/p>\n
The book and toy store, which has another outlet at Forum The Shopping Mall, opened at Marina Square about five years ago, she said.<\/p>\n
With many shops and attractions catered to families and children, which form most of their customer base, footfall is high on weekends, she said, when asked about why Marina Square was an ideal location for the shop.<\/p>\n
Online orders have picked up recently so the decision to move to another mall is still uncertain, she said, adding that with one fewer outlet, the team might cut down on the number of shifts.<\/p>\n
\u201cActually we heard that they want to rebuild the mall sometime back, but we didn\u2019t expect that it would be this fast,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Mr Wayne Yap, the manager of Synwin Violins\u2019 Marina Square outlet, already knew that the area would be redeveloped, but did not expect the whole mall to undergo a complete rejuvenation affecting all tenants.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always thought we would not be affected. In the end, when we (found out we) would be affected after all, we did feel a bit surprised,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The manager described the shop, which opened in the mall in 2009, as one of its anchor tenants. Many tenants were secretly hoping they would not be affected, Mr Yap added.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we moved in in 2009, it was a very revolutionary move for a violin shop. My dream was to come to a place where people would not expect a violin shop,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
While the shop has proven to be a \u201cvaluable asset\u201d to Marina Square, well-known in the music community, the decision to rejuvenate the mall is bigger than that, he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have been preparing for this day \u2026 Everything has a start and an end \u2026 So when the day finally came, now it\u2019s a real test of whether I\u2019m prepared for it,\u201d said Mr Yap.<\/p>\n
Like other tenants, he started receiving concerned messages from customers about what would happen to the shop on Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n
While he also feels a sense of loss, Mr Yap said he achieved what he set out to do. \u201cOn a personal level, I\u2019m quite happy, I\u2019m quite satisfied,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cCommunity-wise, we served for 15 years, gave them a good place to shop to buy instruments. They are quite happy with us. I think some of them will feel sad at least.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the current business climate, Synwin Violins is more likely to move to another unit that is not located in a mall, said Mr Yap. \u201cWe will probably find a place that we don’t have to worry about renewing the lease and less pressure on rental.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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