Shopping malls in Singapore
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I am starting to think that all shopping malls in Singapore look identical.
In every mall that I go to, I notice it is dominated by the same few well-known brands that have presence in multiple countries around the world. For example, brands like Uniqlo, Muji, H&M, and Cotton On dominate the clothing scene in almost every mall. When it comes to drinks, it’s a familiar sight to find Mr. Coconut and Gong Cha franchises. The same goes for food restaurants, sports, jewellery and electronic devices brands.
It’s a stark contrast to the more diverse and distinctive shopping experiences I remember from my childhood and teenage years. Malls used to be more interesting. I could hop from one store to another and browse through the different and unique offerings by different small boutiques.
I wonder if the phenomenon is a result of rising rents and increasing competition between brands. This might have forced many independent smaller establishments to pull down their shutters, paving the way for financially stable conglomerates that can better navigate the economic landscape.
Regardless, shopping in Singapore is becoming a rather mundane affair, with homogenous experiences across different malls. This is bad news, especially since Singapore is a tiny island and there is almost nothing else to do except for cafe hopping and visiting shopping malls during the weekends.
