HDB to conduct study on value of heartland shops

Proposals are being weighed to bolster heartland shops with a range of steps in the mix, such as lowering operating costs, selling goods online and boosting staff skills.

The ideas are preliminary at this stage, but could follow a government study that will look at the social and economic value of Housing Board shops and the benefits they can bring to local communities.

The study will also look at the impact Covid-19 has had on heartland shops and assess factors that can help them stay viable amid shifting demographics and trends.

The eight-month-long project outlined in HDB tender documents issued last month will include a minimum of 1,500 surveys, 80 in-depth interviews with stakeholders and 10 focus group discussions.

The consultant undertaking the study is also required to identify three neighbourhood centres that are suitable for rejuvenation and devise ways to improve their vibrancy.

These could include design changes, new programmes and managing public spaces to cement stronger relationships among the community.

Experts welcomed the study, saying that heartland shops have proven to be of great value during the pandemic, particularly during the two-month circuit breaker that started last April, with Singaporeans mostly confined to their homes.

Ms Ling Mengzhi, a PhD candidate studying urban planning and urban life at the National University of Singapore (NUS), said the pandemic has created an opportunity for residents to re-explore such stores and forge stronger bonds with people and communities within their neighbourhoods.

Heartland shops can become "social glues for the community", said Ms Ling.

Associate Professor Lawrence Loh from the NUS Business School said the intrinsic value of HDB heartland shops has been underappreciated, especially in newer estates with a younger population.

"In older estates like Queenstown and Ang Mo Kio, there are always seniors milling around and it contributes to the vibrancy of the neighbourhoods. But in estates like Punggol, where there are more young families, you don't get that. Most just go straight to the big malls," he said.

"In a time when people frequent malls and chain shops, HDB shops are the best-kept secrets right in your backyard."

The HDB has about 15,000 shops spread out across town centres, neighbourhood areas and precinct shop clusters that are either rented out by the HDB or owned by private operators.

Some businesses, like laundromats and bakeries, do better in a HDB setting than others, said Prof Loh, as they offer daily essential goods and services in locations convenient and accessible to residents.

Lower rents have been drawing young business owners to the heartland to set up trendy cake shops, bistros and cafes right beside traditional mom-and-pop shops, said Ms Lim Xiu Ru, a lecturer at Singapore Polytechnic's School of Business.

The benefits are twofold, as these new shops serve the needs of nearby residents and also help lure customers to the older shops nearby that may not have a digital presence, she said.

"(They) can also potentially help rejuvenate the image of what was once a quiet and sleepy estate."

One such up-and-coming brand is Bakes by NY, a bakery selling items such as stuffed doughnuts and burnt cheesecake. The brand has two heartland shops - in Yishun and Tampines - and an outlet at a shophouse in Simpang Bedok.

While physical sales used to account for most of the bakery's sales, owner Muhammad Khairul Anwar, 35, said the pandemic has led to a spike in online trade.

The shops could not cope with the transition initially and customers complained about late deliveries, he said. "It'll also be good if the study can look at how we can get more help with going digital, because we don't have much experience in this area."

Meanwhile, businesses offering more traditional services face a different challenge.

Number of shops HDB has spread out across town centres, neighbourhood areas and precinct shop clusters.

Mr Winston Chai, 39, whose shop in Yishun Central provides key duplication services, said he finds it difficult to expand his pool of regular customers despite advertising online, given growing competition from other businesses over the years.

"It can help if the study looks at how shops like us that provide services can draw more customers, since it's not so easy for us to offer these services online," said Mr Chai.

Ms Jan Lim, co-founder of Participate in Design, a non-profit group that helps neighbourhoods and public institutions design community-owned spaces, said possible strategies to improve the vibrancy and value of heartland shops include having community-run enterprises such as those that create employment opportunities for residents who are unable to leave their homes.

The arts community can also be involved in staging activities in public areas, she said.