“Stop thinking of yourselves as malls; start thinking of yourselves as lifestyle spaces”. Nice! ❤

I would like to applaud Mothership for building this content! 👏🏼 The amount of effort to make this video must be crazy! Kudos to the team!!

Thank you. As a tourist, I never visited mall outside of the central area. So we tend to have a view that Singapore has "unique" malls. We only see Paragon, Ion, Vivo City, Funan, Marina etc that offer quite a unique shopping experience. But after watching this video I just realized that Singapore and Jakarta are basically similar. For locals, we prefer to shop at generic malls that provide things we need. Not looking for experience when purchasing daily necessities!

A discussion of the actual architecture of the malls would be a valuable addition to this analysis. REITs malls are generic also because of their architecture, and there has been a sad trend towards ever greater uniformity. In recent years, even older malls outside of central Singapore (cases in point: East Point, White Sands) have been renovated to remove most of the features that had once made them visually distinctive. Windows and decoration are removed, skylights covered, density of tenants increased.. among other things. The result are a bunch of featureless boxes without windows, jam-packed with people like insect hives.

Because only the major brands can afford to pay the nose-bleeding rentals of these malls.

Singapore should have more unique theme malls, example IT Malls like Funan SimLim, maybe more Outlet Mall like IMM, or even special malls like Pets mall where it become a 1stop location for all pets needs, clinic etc. There can be a hobby mall where shops can have communities like trading cards, console gaming etc. more sports theme malls like Velocity, queenways with courts for tournaments to host. We can even have malls for overnight where it operate from maybe 5pm to 8am where people can find things to do rather than "boring sg nothing to offer" at night.

god the comment section really didnt pass the vibe chek... had to pop in to say good job mothership! Really enjoyed the fun slightly scientific approach you took here, along with the bit of data science and business knowledge sprinkled in there. It was actually a really insightful and interesting video. I really liked the way you approached the question from different perspectives. ngl its better than some CNA insider videos LMAO. Also shout out to the editor?? love the humorous editing choices. keep up the good work!

Also, the demand for Macdonald's seems to be virtually unlimited. Tampines Central has like 1 at Tampines Mall, 1 dine-in outlet + 1 takeaway koisk at the interchange, and 1 in Tampines Hub, all within like 500m of each other, and all are super crowded.

some of the more unique and modern malls are like GrID and Funan... But it's also good to have these "generic" malls because it means that Singaporeans have ready access to facilities in different parts of Singapore. It's not just about being more "interactive" or "immersive" but infusing some culture and creativity into our architecture (while not necessarily changing the types of brands there)

Malls in Singapore in the '70s used to be like Katong Shopping Centre. Each has their unique favor and strengths. Now with online shopping, I hardly get to spend anything in the 'generic' malls. The only time I visited them was for the air-con.

Very good video. You can really appreciate the hard work that went into it

Let's be honest, people all over South East Asia go to the malls to escape from the heat and have some meals in comfort. Window shopping is just to pass the time.

Thoroughly enjoyed this video! Intro was sharp and engaging, good job mothership!

Thanks for this video!! The timing is literally so perfect :’) I’ve been doing research for my uni project on shopping malls. This really helps!!

Peninsula shopping centre and Queensway are some of the most unique/interesting malls imho

The editor and the host here are great, very well produced with a snarky style. Much more in line with great youtube productions than the boring mainstream media documentaries. Some of the transitions were so seamless.

Very well done. Yes, the malls are pretty boring. I agree with the professor, the designers and managers of the malls need to create a lifestyle experience that makes it attractive to young and old. No sitting areas to relax; no art work to enjoy; and nothing really to discover or explore.😢

Great job with this video! Really informative and something you would miss if you don't really take note. Appreciate the content

Bangkok has great malls. According to my daughter in law who is from Myanmar. I agree with her.

the lady at the end is SO right! Like instead of popular bookstores, bring in Artfrined? Maybe the community would like a space to go when they want to be creative with many options to choose from and grow with? OR maybe bring in stores Basheer Bookstore where they bring in many types of books like Artbooks to Encyclopedia of Plants, Anime art books to Comic arts, Cooking to Gardening, Fashion to photography....and more!...................OR have some hobby stores like the Gashapon outlets in Citysquare Mall and Plaza Sing or Hakken? Maybe even a Record store where they sell New and Used records? A place beside it could be a store that sells Turntables with Amps or ones built in with Speakers too....along with home theatre systems or just casual music set ups from Bose or JBL etc. Or an interactive area where it could be a Cafe or sorts that invite local artist to open a small booth to sell their merch that also help the footflow of the cafe and cross promoting? omg SO many ideas lololol

i love the filming style in the beginning and throughout the video! great job for this kind of content mothership :)

This was a surprisingly great and imformative video about things that every singaporean uses often but dont think much about. Keep up the great work mothership

Very well made video about malls in Singapore. Basically, it is driven by market forces of supply and demand. For those commenters that asked for more unique malls, have you visited Katong Mall in the last 10 years? if you were SO interested about uniqueness, stop visiting and spending money at generic malls and shops, stop buying at Watsons or Macdonald's or Owndays. Spend your money in the non-big brand shops. Market forces will do the rest. If you are supporting the generic shops, then you are part of the "problem". 🤭

Can we have more such episodes on local interesting topics like these? I love how the episode was kinda designed similar to those INSIDER videos explaining stuff. Keep them coming!

I like to visit those unique low profile malls sometimes but after a while you would also find them sharing the same characteristic like having collectors shops, hobbies, hairdressers, old records, massage parlours, night clubs, and some pai chabo...

damn mothership becoming like the vice of singapore with contents like this. keep it up!!

The worst malls are those without air-con (looks at the new malls). Singapore weather, you think people want to hang out at a mall without air-con?

nice coverage on the topic……..im not a SG native (East Malaysian) but been in n out of Spore since i was a kid n is our 2nd home since the 80s after we bought our own place. i’ve noticed since growing up, malls from mid-80s till late 90s are very very similar in designs (same in Malaysia)..my guess is back then was down to management companies…who owned n runs the malls… so this video basically answered my curiosity..

great video! imo the best malls are the ones that have 'outlet stores', cause of the discounts. So my pick for best, least boring mall is IMM. Best prices around. When you think of it, malls are seen as expensive so being a cheaper mall that has all the generic chain stores is the unique proposition to customers. Downside to IMM is you need walk relatively long from JE mrt.

This is a very good video.....thumbs up to all the people who puts in the efforts to doing the researches for this video.

This episode is nice! Want to watch more like this

This report and analysis are very good and most welcomed.

Almost every mall has the same shop. It’s just monopolised by the big players that’s why it’s so boring. Should look at how Japan has so many different kind of shops, it’s never boring there.

does peninsula plaza and Queensway shopping centre count as unique malls?lots of second hand fashion shops, some sports shops in both, but peninsula plaza had jamming studios and music shops. I observed huge crowds always at bugis and vivocity, suntec city. yah there are those generic shops like Guardian, watsons etc in these malls, but they are popular cos close to mrt stations and most people tend to stick to familiar shops. Interesting video, by the way.

It's a rather interesting topic. Thanks for the effort to research this!

Mothership is just smashing it out with interesting videos

Very insightful video. Thanks Mothership!

I've dreamt for years the Govt would allow stalls and niches at void decks so residents can run tiny trial businesses for a month or so. Constant footfall and decent social media could help bring Singaporean imagination to market. The details can be worked out. I can imagine planning a short itinerary across different blocks to see different things. Tourists would also get many more chances to interact with locals. This would birth new competition for the REITs, who raise rent annually without creating new value. The only other typology that competes with malls as "destinations" are walking scale neighbourhoods like Holland Village, Simpang Bedok, and Joo Chiat, and these are mostly tenanted/owned by larger interests. Giving every heartland resident a shot at entrepreneurship could provide a much-needed spark of innovation and interest.

Wow this is an actually really good piece. Look forwards to more unique videos like this.

Well documented clip, informative and analytical presentation. Good jov

Singapore malls are rubber-stamp copies of each other. Visit one, visitef all. The unique malls that can win would be the ones that bring in quality variations and artisan brands.

REITs is why everything getting more expensive.

The comparison to suburban malls versus city "boutique" malls also applies to most cities in the world. And for the same reasons. You can even see miniature inverted versions of this in outer suburban areas: in my city (Sydney), I see big malls in major satellite suburbs that are on the generic side and are thriving, with small malls nearby that are much more unique. But these attract people to their distinct shops for specific purposes.

Yeah they got rid of the arcade in the basement at Bugis and put another Challenger in...

as a tourist, i am still amaze of how busy singapore’s malls is. like, who are these people, how can it be that they’re all shopping 😱all of them😮

I’m perplexed as to how ANY mall in Singapore can run without a bookstore such as Popular or Times. Especially ones near schools! I live next to East Point Mall in Simei, and the Popular bookstore that’s been in the mall for over 20 years shut this year. That’s ridiculous to me as there’s a Primary and Secondary school, as well as multiple learning centres within the mall itself. How can there not be a store for students to buy basic studying needs and books??!!

I strangely enjoyed this video so much. I think A level students struggling with writing essays can refer to this for their intro 3 paragraphs conclusion and PEEL 🤣 host did a good job too

Host practically visited more than 10 malls? Good work

I think the last part gives you the answer. The major malls can keep their generic major tenants but intersped these will smaller retail areas for less well known shops. The problem is whether the mall owners and operators want to bother with giving out retail spaces to smaller operators that may not generate that much income per tenant even though it's possible they may generate more rental per square foot.

Very interesting & unique content. Love it🎉

This is a very informative video. It’ll help many startups.

Great research on the data to quantify how generic the malls are 😊

Essentially, our malls are boring because the rentals freaking ridiculous

lovely piece. thank you!

I think northpoint city and causeway point is very fun one it yishun one in woodlands❤both have waterplay(if you have children)really reccomand you to go there if you are a tourist if not go have fun!🎉

I would like to salute the amount of work put into MANUAL data entry. 1:14

ah so thats the differences between a REITs vs the Strata malls which i came across in news article, my fav mall is Funan mall cuz i like those unique decorated malll unlike the typical boring type of malls

You deserve a pay raise!!

Great effort for this content. Now can do next content, the hawker centers and coffeeshops. .. 😂😂

i like its informative and shows awareness on this things

Great reporting and analysis 👍

This is investigative journalism 💯

Quality content indeed thanks!

damn mothership really upped their content with this one

Whenever I go shopping at the usual Setia City Mall which is in Malaysia, typically there's a Starbucks where most people go to studying or just sleeping, most food chains were packed with customers and delivery riders, a convention event smack dab in the center, a Rotiboy shop with a long line and when inside sounds like a mini city. But Iliked it.

Hey Katong shopping ctr has great chicken rice, zi char, ice cream and old sch bakery. There is also Japanese wana be spectacle, hobby, jewellery, budget electronic, personal care and plenty of maid agency. Very unique indeed.

why does this channel not have 3 million subscribers

Compass One used to be unique. Once called “Compass point” it had a theme around maritime exploration - I remember the pillars in the main atrium having the sterns of pirate ships protruding out. The main atrium even had a very interesting world map decal! It was extremely unique for a Heartland Mall. However, it was shut down for renovation, and turned into another boring mall with the same boring stores, all for the property developers to make a quick buck…

Another reason I can surmise for why malls in central Singapore tend to be more unique: a lot of them are bunched together. 313, orchard central, Ngee Ann, Far East, ION, they're all practically neighbors along Orchard Rd. Big brands probably wouldn't see the need to open up the same store within minutes walk of an existing big one. Just open one in the vicinity.

Quit the statistics . A more "unique" mall I discovered was The Rail Mall at Hillview downtown station . It has some nice eateries including two vegetarian cafes , one which is a Mala place . Also situated along the nostalgic Upper Bukit Timah tracks , the ambience would be amazing day or night . Hope this helps .

They need to model after JB's "the mall" at mid valley Southkey

OMG Mothership just did a free analytics for us.

dont need excel, this for sure we can sense it or feel it, that is why nothing to look forward....this include the pasar malam as well

For us working people...we hardly spend time in malls except to eat or take away. And in fewer occasions, get some necessities.

Bangkok's malls are several levels over Singapore's malls. Emquartier and Terminal 21 are fine examples.

Strata malls usually have this unique funky smell when you enter, as though they’ve never do housekeeping since the late 80’s like that. I think out of many malls in Singapore, I prefer Plaza Sing and Suntec 😂

KATONG SHOPPING CENTRE GANG. Let's freaking goooooo

Really interesting content!!!

Agree. You go to one, you go to all... more importantly, please have many benches on every floor for shoppers to rest. People's friendly malls will attract people to stay longer and probably do more shopping and spend more money there...

I’m surprised Capitol Singapore and CHIJMES isn’t part of the unique list

Really good and interesting research

Great editing !!!

mothership now offering marketing 101 video series haha

Good video, you can check the mall in Shanghai. The moment i saw bread tlk.. i ran out.

Loved this video!

my fave would be city square. beside mustafa has donki has value shop has japan home has daiso and then aston chains of chikaboo and aston saizeriya and decathlaton follow by a cinema

Rather than building small and generic malls. We should have a few permanent night markets with lower rental fees to make the country more vibrant and unique.

Denifinition of a shopping is to find somthing interesting to be enjoy and explore inside

I need The cat and the fiddle to one day expand to Australia and open up in Hobart, we have the perfect place for it. I want to see this kind of analysis for other countries. Like how do thse things change between countries?

Look at unique mall such as Cineleisure vs generic malls. Which closed down?

No. Most or some shopping malls have libraries, waterplay for kids and occasionally there will be shows or performances besides the usual eateries, shops and cinemas.

Those with strata-titled stores are usually owned by individual store owners selling their own services and products. Unique but difficult to manage.

they're not boring at all -all great. All.

they should do more outlet malls.

videos like this are awesome

As a Hougangster I’m just glad HG mall got a feature position in the video, even if it’s for being the most “generic”.

I used to frequent Funan Center and Sim Lim Square on a weekly basis in the 80s and 90s. It's been more than 20 years since I last visited them. I think Funan Center had went through at least 2 major renovation changes? Not sure about Sim Lim Square.

You’re more entertaining, than all the other 5,863,799 other Singaporeans together. In other words, Singapore gets the boredom it desires.

Generic malls mean i dont need to travel outside of my area ever, win win

thr effort 💯🙌