Revamped Mandarin Gallery opens this Friday

November 26, 2009

MANDARIN Gallery is set for a soft launch this Friday after a $200 million makeover. About half of the 103 stores are open for business and the mall should be fully operational around the third week of January.

‘It is almost completely leased out and we expect tenants to move in by January 2010,’ said Patrina Tan, senior vice-president of retail, marketing and leasing for Overseas Union Enterprise (OUE).

The revamp was aimed at creating a full-fledged mall, whereas previously, Mandarin Gallery was an annexe that catered largely to hotel guests, Mrs Tan said. Mandarin Gallery is connected to the Meritus Mandarin Singapore.

The four-storey mall – which spans 126,000 square feet – is targeting ‘highly affluent, well travelled’ customers aged 25-45 years with its tenant mix.

Its frontage boasts five flagship duplexes – Emporio Armani, D&G, Montblanc, Marc by Marc Jacobs, and Bread & Butter. Mandarin Gallery will also introduce international and local new-to-market brands such as a.i. by Ashley Isham, Henry Cotton’s and benWU.

Popular Japanese ramen restaurant Ippudo will make its South-east Asian debut at the mall. All-day breakfast joint Wild Honey will open its first store.

And food emporium jones the grocer will set up its second outlet in Singapore.

‘This is a great opportunity for jones to grow the business and our partnerships in Singapore, because apart from Australia, all other countries have only one store offering,’ said Bruce Chapman, general manager of jones the grocer Singapore.

Mandarin Gallery is also working with the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts to create Nanyang@Mandarin Gallery, where artists from the school will have a platform to display their work.