Kallang mall hopes to make bigger Wave with new tenants

KALLANG Wave Mall has roped in new tenants as part of efforts to refresh its offerings in a bid to stay relevant in a competitive retail scene, especially as consumers stay wary amid a sluggish economy.

Among the latest stores at the shopping centre beside the Singapore Sports Hub are Rendezvous! CWAL, said to be Singapore's first self-balancing electric unicycle provider, 24-hour gym Anytime Fitness and Kulture Studios, a music, dance and fitness school.

Other additions include sports certification and education school International Sports Academy and the Newport Dental clinic.

When My Paper visited the mall recently, it was relatively empty - not surprising perhaps because it lacks a dedicated catchment market as it is not located within any big housing estate.

At its NTUC Foodfare outlet, for example, an entire stretch of six stalls had no tenants. The signboards on the empty stalls ranged from Spanish food to fishball noodles and nasi padang.

Only eight other stalls were open.

Koo Tee Moi, 54, a mixed rice vendor at the foodcourt, told My Paper that the stalls had been vacant for one to two months.

"When there are no activities at the Sports Hub, there is no traffic," said Ms Koo, who has worked there for more than a year since the mall opened.

Another vendor, who goes by the name Phing, 30, said some of the stalls had been empty for as long as six months, since he started working there.

"Stall for rent" signs were put up prominently, with mobile numbers included. But with Kallang Wave Mall signing on new tenants and the nation's 51st birthday bash set to be held at the Sports Hub this August, things could be looking up for the mall.

A spokesman for SMRT Alpha, which manages the mall, told My Paper that it is "bringing in new tenants to enhance the shopping, dining and entertainment experience".

"This year, we are working on giving families more reason to come to Kallang Wave Mall and will share more details later," she said.

In recent months, the mall has held activities for children such as foosball, automated animal rides and mini-train rides.

The Sports Hub has also beefed up its range of offerings, from hosting rugby matches to holding the Madonna concert.

myp@sph.com.sg

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