Singapore’s Funan mall sets opening date

Funan mall is set to open its doors on June 28 – ahead of schedule after a three-year redevelopment.

Located in the heart of Singapore’s Civic District, the mall will host more than 180 brands under six themes: tech, craft, play, fit, chic and taste. One in three of the stores will be new-to-market brands, new concept stores or flagships.

“Shaped by its unique location in a new-gen live-work-play hub, Funan brings together experiential and activity-based retail at a scale not seen before in Singapore’s Civic District, while providing a collaborative platform for retailers to share their brand stories,” said Chris Chong, MD, retail, at CapitaLand Singapore.

“With a dedicated community manager, Funan goes beyond a singular focus on achieving a certain retail mix to curate community experiences that consumers are passionate about, as it seeks to build social connections and networks beyond the transactional.”

Experiential and activity-based retail takes centrestage at Funan – Climb Central will operate the highest climbing facility in the Civic District, extending from the base of the Tree of Life at Basement 2 to Level 1.

“To date, Funan has achieved about 92 per cent in commitment for its retail leasing and we expect more leases to be signed in the coming months,” said Tony Tan, CEO of CapitaLand Mall Trust Management Limited.  

“The robust demand for Funan’s retail space comes on the back of a strong pre-leasing commitment of 98 per cent for its twin office blocks. With a clear focus on offering differentiated experiences and connections that are not replicable online, Funan aims to anchor and grow its own community of followers who will keep returning. This innovative approach in curating a mall will augur well in creating sustained value for our unitholders over the long term,” said Tan.  

New-to-market brands

Tech company Dyson will unveil its first standalone store in Singapore at Funan. The beauty-only concept store will be dedicated to its Dyson Supersonic hair dryer and recently-launched Dyson Airwrap styler.  

British folding-bikes maker Brompton Junction will open its first Southeast Asian flagship store, and launch a Lion City special edition bike.

Golden Village’s seven-screen multiplex in Funan will feature two new seating concepts – Deluxe Plus and Gold Class Express – along with virtual reality pods in its foyer, showcasing popular games and cinematic content for customers.

FairPrice Finest will introduce a digital shopping experience at Funan, allowing customers to shop and pay through their phones.

Kopitiam will launch its latest concept KopItech, where patrons can place their orders via one of 17 self-service kiosks or through Facebook’s messaging app.

Singapore’s True Group will open a flagship TFX fitness centre in Funan, True’s first fitness centre in Singapore with a swimming pool and outdoor deck.

Other retailers will make their return to Funan, including tech retailer AddOn Systems which will operate Singapore’s Lenovo Flagship Store, and GamePro Shop, which will organise esports tournaments.

Courts is opening its first uniquely IoT store, featuring simulated smart home concepts where consumers can visualise their dream home fully connected.

Local eateries Ya Kun Kaya Toast, Qi Ji and Old Chang Kee will also return, with Qi Ji marking its 16th outlet islandwide since its first stall in Funan Centre back in the 1990s.

Local labels

More than half of Funan’s tenants are homegrown brands, both established and emerging.  These include artisan jeweller Carrie K’s first standalone boutique and fashion label Love, Bonito’s largest outlet in Singapore. Footwear brand Another Sole will also launch its first menswear collection there.

Native online brands opening their first brick-and-mortar outlets include fashion retailer All Would Envy and creative confectionery brand Nasty Cookie.

Specialty coffee roaster Papa Palheta, the group behind Chye Seng Huat Hardware, will be launching Singapore’s first employee-owned cafe, PPP Coffee and Sinpopo will open its first coffee concept in Funan. Designer store Grafunkt will include an in-store bistro.

At an urban farm on Level 7 operated by Edible Garden City, farmers will work with chefs to curate, grow and harvest pesticide-free produce, supplying the produce straight to restaurants in the building.

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