Since the Circle Line opened about a year ago, retail outlets along CityLink Mall have been troubled by dwindling numbers of shoppers. In a bid to vamp up the area and draw in the crowds, the underground mall, which links City Hall MRT station to Marina Square shopping centre and Esplanade MRT station, will be undergoing a $10 million facelift in October.
(The CityLink Mall is currently being passed by)
Among the renovation tasks are the installation of new ceilings and the replacement of the current floor tiles with marble ones. Shop directories, feature walls and other signs highlighting the newest offerings will also be put up. New tenants the mall will be bringing in include apparel retailers Aeropostale and New Look. The renovation is slated to be completed by the end of 2012, and will only be carried out between midnight and 6am.
The effect of the Circle Line’s second stage opening was felt almost immediately. A month after the city area stations opened in April 2010, tenants including sports brand Adidas reported up to 40% dip in business. This was because commuters began using the Promenade and Esplanade stations, which allowed them to bypass the busy City Hall station. The result is the closing down of shops like clothing retailer M)phosis, record store HMV, café New York New York and salad bar Mescluns.
One shop still hanging on is vitamin retailer Holland & Barrett, who told The Straits Times that business has halved since 2010. Senior store assistant Hazel Garcia, 25 said, “It’s probably because of the opening of the Circle Line stations, and more people being directed to the Marina Bay Sands area.” She added that shoppers walking along CityLink Mall use it as a thoroughfare on their way toward Suntec City. “People mostly just walk past, few stop. I hope the renovations will help,” she said. According to her, Holland & Barrett sees a daily average of some 40 customers.
New tenant Youmenya Goemon, a Japanese spaghetti restaurant, which replaced Souperlicious just three weeks ago, said business has been slow. Manager Stephan Yap observed, “Many people consider this place a walkway. We hope the improvements will bring more business – and maybe change this place into more of a destination mall.”
Meanwhile, taking the initiative to revamp their premises are Lee Hwa Jewellery and shoe shop Charles & Keith. The former has completed renovations to its store last month, with a brand new décor, layout and counters. The latter has expanded and taken over the space formerly occupied by outdoor lifestyle retailer Flash n’ Splash, opening a Pedro outlet in its place.
CityLink Mall owner Hongkong Land said the refurbishment would ensure the mall stays relevant in changing times. But while retail specialists say the renovation works may help, it is more important for the mall’s tenants to draw in the shoppers themselves. Head of research and consultancy at Chesterton Suntec International Colin Tan said, “The area has lost some pedestrian flow permanently. It is a small retail mall and is elongated, so changing it into a destination mall will be difficult.” He added that the problem was the pedestrian flow – and not the mall’s outward appearance – and explained that tenants have to find their own niche to ensure the shoppers continue coming in.
One such tenant is The Singapore Wine Station, which opened its doors last December. Owner Eric Vercesi, 51 claimed business has been brisk. He said that he had told the mall owners that he would take a unit for his wine shop if they allowed him to set up a wine-tasting booth right outside his premises, and added that the door to his humble shop is always open. “I came in with my eyes wide open. It’s an MRT connection and we needed a way to show people we were selling good wine.”
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