SINGAPORE - Christmas is just over a month away and shoppers will soon get even more choices with these three shopping centres slated to open in the heartlands in the coming weeks.
Here's what they have to offer:
1. Seletar Mall
The four-storey centre with two basement levels will be a boon for those living in the Seletar and Sengkang area, where there have been no full-size malls to date.
No prizes for guessing that the Shaw Theatres cineplex will likely be a draw, as will the more than 130 brands on offer at the mall.
These include the premium supermarket FairPrice Finest, foodcourt Foodfare, Japanese casual clothing company Uniqlo, ladies-only fitness centre Amore Fitness & Boutique Spa and department store BHG.
Location: 33 Sengkang West Avenue
Retail space: 188,000 sq ft
Opens: Nov 28
Developer: The Seletar Mall, a joint-venture company between Singapore Press Holdings (70 per cent) and United Engineers Limited (30 per cent)
Selling point: Largest lifestyle hub in the north-east of Singapore
2. Big Box
Jurong shoppers, who already have plenty of shopping choices, are getting more options in the form of Big Box, which will go up against several malls in the area including IMM, J-Cube with its skating rink and Westgate.
But Big Box has an ace up its sleeve - the eight-storey complex will be a warehouse retail outlet, run by a single retailer (TT International) which can pass cost savings on to shoppers. The three other malls like it - Courts, Ikea and Giant - are all on the eastern part of the island.
Drivers will get to enjoy a drive-through service for goods ordered online, while shoppers on foot will have the convenience of the Jurong East MRT station, which is connected to the complex. House brands include Akira, Mod Living, Castilla, Natural Living and Barang Barang.
Location: Jurong East Street 11
Retail space: 400,000 sq ft
Opens: Before Christmas
Developer: TT International
Selling point: Singapore's largest warehouse retail outlet
3. One KM
The 24-hour supermarket Yokoso at Tanjong Katong Complex, which used to serve residents of the Paya Lebar and Tanjong Katong area, is long gone. But the area will get a new mall later this month with the grand opening of One KM just across from the complex.
Targeted at younger families and the office crowd, tenants include Uniqlo, Esprit, Food Junction, Cold Storage, Popular and Harvey Norman, spread across three storeys and a basement. One KM is also hoping to be a hit with students from the 20 schools within a 2km radius, offering a good mix of tuition and enrichment centres, like dance studios.
Location: 11 Tanjong Katong Road
Retail space: 204,000 sq ft
Opens: Nov 30
Developer: UOL Group
Selling point: First edutainment mall to tap on large student population
