MORE shoppers than expected thronged new Orchard Road mall 313@somerset on its opening day.
By mid-afternoon yesterday, more than 51,000 people had visited the eight-storey, $1-billion mall, said developer and manager Lend Lease.
This figure was expected to hit at least 70,000 by the time the mall closed at 11pm yesterday, exceeding the company’s projected all-day figure of 55,000, said its development project director, Mr Michael Kenderes.
The mall is fully leased.
Yesterday, 130 of its 177 tenants opened their doors for business.
Shoppers said that they liked the “mid-priced paradise” for its mix of eateries and accessible fashion labels, which are among the most popular brands with Singapore shoppers.
Other major lifestyle brands at 313@somerset include British record giant HMV, Epicentre, which carries Apple products, Harris Bookstore and sports-product store Stadium.
The mall also houses some of the largest fashion stores here.
They include a Zara store spanning three floors, the largest outlet here of British high-street label New Look, a four-storey store of American high-street label Forever 21, and the largest Uniqlo store in South-east Asia which measures more than 1,579 sq m over a single level.
The mall also boasts the biggest branch of foodcourt Food Republic, with a sky garden that overlooks Orchard Road, on its fifth floor.
Familiar restaurants like Marche – which will return to Orchard Road after a hiatus – Din Tai Fung and Brotzeit German Bier Bar & Restaurant were chosen for the mall as they have proven to be hits with Singapore diners, Mr Kenderes said.
Singapore Press Holdings MediaBoxOffice will be offering digital advertising there, via a large-facade LED screen and its first in-mall video wall, one of the largest found in malls here.
Its general manager, Mr Edward Tang, said: “The screen, our second in Orchard Road, provides an exciting solution for major brand owners, particularly fashion labels and lifestyle products and services, to reach an increasingly-mobile and out-of-home consumer society.
“The latest addition of 313@somerset takes the number of major shopping malls in our retail network to 18.”
Marketing executive Elizabeth Lai, 22, who visited the mall yesterday, said: “I like the mall a lot.
“Its layout is easy to navigate, unlike some other new malls.” The clever tenant mix of most-loved fashion labels and food-and-beverage outlets sealed the deal for her.
“It houses all the popular brands, like Zara and Forever 21, that are right up my alley and great for young professionals like me,” she said.
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