AHEAD of its June 28 opening, the new shopping mall at Funan has achieved 95 per cent committed occupancy for its retail space, including Singapore’s first standalone physical Taobao store.

Over 60 per cent of the more than 190 brands housed in Funan mall originate from Singapore, CapitaLand said in a regulatory update on Tuesday.

Newly signed tenants include Taobao’s new concept store. Operated by Virmall, the store will offer a wide range of products available from Taobao that are specially curated for Singapore shoppers, covering categories that include furniture, household items, textiles and fashion. Previously, there was a pop-up Taobao outlet as part of a multi-label store in Plaza Singapura called NomadX.

Nikon will also launch in Funan mall its first standalone outlet and flagship “experience hub” in Singapore. This includes the Nikon School, a workshop space for photography tutorials by professionals.

Swiss sewing machine brand Bernina will also open its flagship store there, carrying its most advanced sewing machine models, while using the space for themed sewing workshops, machine rental service and gift personalisation.

Food and beverage will occupy 25 per cent of Funan’s retail space, housing over 80 establishments, ranging from ramen restaurants like Afuri Ramen, Kara-men Ajisen and Tsuta, to bubble tea stalls like Gong Cha, LiHo, Milksha and Nayuki Tea.

Funan will also work with the Singapore Tourism Board to host the Singapore civic district’s first Singapore Visitor Centre at its Basement 2 level. This is to allow tourists to get more information about Singapore or purchase tickets to attractions and tours.

CapitaLand Mall Trust Management chief executive Tony Tan said: “We are pleased that Funan’s retail component is 95 per cent pre-leased. This points to the continued market demand for centrally-located and well-designed retail spaces that enjoy inherent shopper traffic as part of a quality integrated development.”

As part of Funan’s opening programming, guided tours and concierge recommendations on activities will also be made available to shoppers, CapitaLand Singapore managing director for retail Chris Chong said.

He added that CapitaLand envisions Funan as a “social retail space embraced by communities”. In line with this vision, it will be rolling out unique programming throughout the year that supports Funan’s community-building focus.

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/new-funan-mall-secures-95-take-up-ahead-of-friday-opening