Present
Far East Plaza is now one of the many malls throughout Singapore.
With the rise of the “neighbourhood mall”, going to Orchard Road on the weekends is no longer necessary. Families now have a wealth of options to spend their weekends. Even the iconic Orchard Road Christmas lights have lost their uniqueness as they have been emulated in malls throughout Singapore.
What then is the allure of Far East Plaza, a sleepy mall at the end of Orchard Road?
posts from the present
Embracing our quirky and diverse offerings!
There are no anchor tenants - no banks, no telcos, no supermarkets and no department stores ever since Metro closed down!
This mall has a lot more room for idiosyncratic shops than any other mall in Singapore
An inexorable feeling of emptiness
Shops are closed. The vacancy on certain levels of the mall, particularly the basement, further spurs the lack of occupancy throughout the mall, like rats leaving a sinking ship.
The mall is quiet, even on a Friday afternoon. You can walk comfortably up and down the aisles without bumping into anyone, and have a conversation easily without having to raise your voice.
A change in culture
When we went on Saturday, there was a dancing event in the atrium. The scene seemed to be a stark contrast to Far East Plaza’s past; instead of being filled with youth in their prime, here was a group of elderly folks square dancing to pop songs.
A tightly knit community
Despite the decline in traffic, some of the malls’ original tenants have stuck it out because Far East Plaza is where they have always been.
More than just a place to earn money, tenants see the mall as a part of themselves. They’ve grown old alongside each other. Birthdays, weddings and graduations are just some of the events they’ve invited each other for, according to Miss Lin.
Quirky and diverse
offerings stay
The mall’s two specialty areas - services and secondhand luxury goods - keeps customers coming, and that is what is keeping Far East Plaza alive.
Most of its tenants rely on word-of-mouth to market their stores and admit that loyal customers keep them afloat.
It looks like Far East Plaza will remain a niche mall providing niche services for a niche clientele
what's
next
for
far
east
plaza?
It seems that Far East Organization has left the mall to decline.
Despite the lack of occupancy, no new measures have been taken to bring in tenants. Many tenants lament that Far East Organization does not hold regular events to attract customers to the mall anymore. There used to be “pasar malam” bazaars, but it stopped a few years back.
The remaining store owners, particularly those who have bought their spot in Far East Plaza, are left waiting for what seems like the inevitable demise of the mall. The profits have declined along with dwindling patrons, and tenants are barely able to make a living. Let's see whats in store for Far East Plaza in the future..