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He recently opened Yogeek, a frozen yoghurt concept, on the street, partly out of sentiment and a wish to help revive its local business scene. \u201cYou can say that Haji Lane is my comfort zone,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n Kok believes fashion, food and beverage, and photobooths can coexist in the enclave. His worry is who can afford to stay.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI think the bigger concern isn\u2019t necessarily the changing tenant mix, but whether Haji Lane can remain a place where small, independent Singaporean businesses have a fair chance to thrive,\u201d he said. Larger operators, he noted, including a growing number of overseas concepts, are better able to absorb rising rents.<\/span><\/p>\n Joo Chiat is not immune to rising costs either. Neither Sojao nor In Good Company would disclose the rent for their Joo Chiat stores, but Tan said the cost of running a physical store has risen considerably over the years, across rent, manpower and general operating expenses, forcing the brand to keep reassessing whether its spaces remain sustainable.<\/span><\/p>\n Footfall has softened too. Tan said pedestrian traffic outside Sojao fell by about 15 per cent in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year. Yet more people came inside, which she credits to pop-ups and an expanded product range.<\/span><\/p>\n Events can help. On Oct 3, more than 5,000 people visited a stretch of Joo Chiat Road closed to traffic for World Car-Free Day, with around 90 merchants taking part. But a one-off crowd is no guarantee of steady footfall on an ordinary day.<\/span><\/p>\n Sojao\u2019s lesson from operating in both Joo Chiat and New Bahru, Tan said, is that footfall alone is not enough. \u201cWhen we consider future locations, we\u2019d look closely at who is already spending time there, their intention when they visit, how long they stay, the surrounding tenant mix, accessibility, visibility, and of course, whether the economics make sense,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n Chang reached a similar conclusion. She is not ruling out another street-front Woofie outlet but said her experience has taught her that \u201ca good location on paper doesn\u2019t necessarily translate into a financially sustainable business\u201d. For now, her focus is Golden Landmark.<\/span><\/p>\n So, which is the better home for independent retail? Perhaps that is the wrong question. Haji Lane offers reach, but not necessarily buyers. Joo Chiat offers immersion and repeat visits, but its crowds can soften too. And in both places, retailers hedging their bets \u2013 In Good Company with its Ion Orchard boutique, Solace in heartland malls, Woofie at Golden Landmark \u2013 suggest the mall has not entirely lost its place.<\/span><\/p>\n For both neighbourhoods, the challenge is not simply attracting more visitors but sustaining the mix of independent businesses that makes people want to visit in the first place.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\nTHE RIGHT LOCATION, NOT JUST THE BUSIEST ONE<\/span><\/h2>\n
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