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| | | | | | | It has been called Singapore's biggest and newest shopping mall.
Since it opened its doors last week, nearly a million (950,000) shoppers have thronged VivoCity.
The numbers alone are staggering: more than a million square feet of shopping space and over 300 stores.
One of Orchard Road's top retailers, Tangs, has also set up shop at VivoCity.
Ellen Yeo, Vice-President, Store Management, Tangs, says: "We have different kinds of new merchandise on display here in the store that you won't be able to find in Orchard Road - newer concepts here, the aisles are wider and you can shop hassle-free here."
VivoCity says one shop will open everyday in the lead-up to its grand opening in December.
Some 60 percent of the shops are open for business now - and the mall is luring the public with what it calls a new shopping experience.
Wendy Low, Centre General Manager, VivoCity, says: "You will see new brands, more than 20 percent of them are first time in Singapore. They will be new concepts first time you see in Singapore."
They include big name retailers like GAP which opened its first store in Southeast Asia.
Vincent Montemarano, Vice-President, Gap Inc, says: "We had a tremendous response we opened at 6.45pm. By 7, we had hundreds of people in the store and by 7.15pm, there are lines of 20 people long at the register and fitting rooms so the response has been really positive."
But will VivoCity "squeeze out" older and smaller malls?
Ms Low says: "We feel that we are not here to compete with anybody but to complement and help Singapore live its image in terms of being a shopper's paradise - we cater not just to locals but international tourists at large."
The Singapore Retailers Association says VivoCity has branded itself as a destination mall and hopes the management can sustain this in the long run to add vibrancy to the retail scene. - CNA/ch |
