City Square adds another major tenant with Uniqlo's June opening

SINGAPORE - When Uniqlo opens its 9,000-square-feet store at City Square Mall next month, it will mark the latest change for the shopping centre along Kitchener Road, which began trading in 2009.

Other retailers that recently set up shop there include Japanese budget chain Daiso, which operates a 9,940-sq-ft store on the fourth level, and Challenger Mini in Basement 1.

Late last year, Best Denki returned to City Square Mall, with an 8,830-sq-ft outlet in Basement 2. Furniture retailer V.Hive too began trading on the third floor in November out of a 2,800-sq-ft space.

Early last year, the mall's owner, City Developments Ltd (CDL), embarked on major renovation works on levels 4-5 to incorporate Golden Village (GV), and also in Basement 2, for last October's opening of the first Toys 'R' Us and Babies 'R' Us integrated store concept in South-east Asia.

GV's multiplex - spread across 27,000 sq ft and with a total seating capacity of 1,082 - opened last November, boasting Singapore's first automated ticketing and theatre entry system. A confirmed booking code is sent directly to visitors' smartphones, eliminating the need for tickets.

City Square Mall opened in 2009 during the global financial crisis.

Corinne Yap, deputy general manager (marketing/leasing) at CDL, said: "Despite the challenging economic environment, the mall was able to establish its retail positioning with strong anchor tenants. Since then, its footfall has more than doubled. Over the years, we've also succeeded in growing and refreshing the tenant mix by attracting renowned brands like Uniqlo, Golden Village, Body Shop and Singapore's first Babies 'R' Us - its largest megastore outside Japan.

"We are at our next stage of development and in the midst of bringing in more new lifestyle brands - attesting to the mall's strong appeal."

Department store operator Metro and supermarket group NTUC FairPrice have been anchor tenants in City Square Mall since Day One. The shopping centre has nine levels in addition to two basements - with total net lettable area of 450,000 sq ft.

Singapore's first eco-mall, it attained the Building & Construction Authority's Green Mark Platinum Award in 2007.

City Square Mall also hosts a learning hub of about 20,000 sq ft on levels 6 to 9, featuring a mix of educational and enrichment centres.

CDL developed the mall, which is directly linked to Farrer Park MRT Station at Basement 1, along with City Square Residences next door on the former New World Amusement Park site.

The group bought the 455,000 sq ft freehold plot from Shaw Organisation in 1987 and is reported to have paid $17 million in development charges to the state.

The New World Amusement Park was once the place to go for a fun night out. The park, which opened in 1923 and shut in 1987, was known for its rides, cabaret acts, pasar malam stalls and festive atmosphere.

Get The Business Times for more stories.