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Chitchat Cougar To Close Her Cafe Because She Only Gets 1-2 Customers A Day!

JohnTan

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
PUBLISHEDMAR 5, 2017, 5:00 AM SGT

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To fulfil her long-time dream of starting her own cafe, Madam Karen Tan, 43, rented a shop space in a newly opened mall in Kovan 11/2 years ago to sell coffee, pies and waffles.

Her joy soon turned to regret - on some days, she would get only one or two walk-in customers at her cafe in Space @ Kovan.

Before long, she had depleted her $50,000 investment.



A key reason for the poor footfall is that most of the strata-titled mall, whose units are owned by individual owners, is empty.

Nearly two years after the mall opened, only about a quarter of its 56 retail spaces have been leased out, with most of the storefronts plastered with "for sale/rent" signs.

"I've never, ever managed to cover my monthly rent before," said Madam Tan, who pays about $3,000 monthly for the 345 sq ft space. "I'm using my own savings (to sustain the shop) now."

She plans to wind up the business when her lease ends in August.

Such dire situations are repeated in other strata-titled malls islandwide, especially the newer ones.

At one-year-old The Promenade @ Pelikat in Hougang, less than a third of its 270 shop spaces have been taken up. Even then, not all of them are open at the same time, giving the mall an empty feel.

Madam Jenny Wong, 54, who runs a three-month-old hair salon there, said an entire week could pass without a single customer.

Over at Kensington Square in Bartley, just three of its 57 spaces appeared to be leased out, though only a Giant Express supermarket was open when The Sunday Times visited last week.

The increased supply of strata shops - at least nine strata-titled malls opened in the past few years - coincides with climbing vacancy rates in malls, as retailers grapple with challenges such as e-commerce and competition from overseas destinations.

Subsequently, rents for strata shops on the whole have fallen by some 15 to 25 per cent from 2014 to last year, and will continue to soften this year, said Mr Ong Kah Seng, director of property consultant R'ST Research.

The reason that newer malls are suffering can be traced back to the property frenzy between 2010 and 2013, he said.

Demand for strata units was fuelled by investors, following cooling measures targeted at the residential sector. They paid high prices for units and may not be willing to rent them out for a pittance now.

Melissa Lin

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/cafe-owner-struggles-to-sustain-business-in-empty-space
 

garlic

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
[video=youtube;xN9ibT9kXrE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN9ibT9kXrE[/video]

for sure will huat...
 

Devil Within

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
PUBLISHEDMAR 5, 2017, 5:00 AM SGT

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The interior design is horrible. Food not outstanding, nothing to shout about. That is why it failed to attract customers. No perceived value for its price range.

Such a pitiful performing shop, might as well go nude to make it a little outstanding.

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Bonut

Alfrescian
Loyal
The furniture not appealing at all. People go to cafe not for the quality of the coffee, but the strong aircon plus nice ambience. Those IKEA-looking foldable tables and chairs simply CMI.

And forget about those run-of-the-mill mocha and cappucino. She must reinvent her menu and come with something like 冰火七重天, but need to get some young PRCs to do it.
 

congo9

Alfrescian
Loyal
The furniture not appealing at all. People go to cafe not for the quality of the coffee, but the strong aircon plus nice ambience. Those IKEA-looking foldable tables and chairs simply CMI.

And forget about those run-of-the-mill mocha and cappucino. She must reinvent her menu and come with something like 冰火七重天, but need to get some young PRCs to do it.

How does someone fathom opening a cafe with her own savings in a ultra expensive Singapore? If you have deep pocket, or someone is willing to pay, that's different story.

Even if she's not paying rental, I doubt she can survive.
 

JohnTan

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
The furniture not appealing at all. People go to cafe not for the quality of the coffee, but the strong aircon plus nice ambience. Those IKEA-looking foldable tables and chairs simply CMI.

And forget about those run-of-the-mill mocha and cappucino. She must reinvent her menu and come with something like 冰火七重天, but need to get some young PRCs to do it.

I thought most sinkies visited these cafes mainly for these two sorts of reasons;

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Kakamora

Alfrescian
Loyal
To fulfil her long-time dream of starting her own cafe, Madam Karen Tan, 43, rented a shop space in a newly opened mall.

"I've never, ever managed to cover my monthly rent before," said Madam Tan, who pays about $3,000 monthly for the 345 sq ft space.

During my school days, many sweet girls around me wanted to open a cafe. This lady happens to think like them and pursued her dreams. At least she tried, I have not pursued my such passion yet.

For $3000 at that kind of same area at ground floor will cost about $2000-25000 at older estates nearer to town with better foot traffic, e.g. Redhill or Telok Blangah
 

eatshitndie

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
The furniture not appealing at all. People go to cafe not for the quality of the coffee, but the strong aircon plus nice ambience. Those IKEA-looking foldable tables and chairs simply CMI.

And forget about those run-of-the-mill mocha and cappucino. She must reinvent her menu and come with something like 冰火七重天, but need to get some young PRCs to do it.

even with lousy and old furniture, a few pairs of sweet young tits with pretty faces will attract sinkie uncles if not banglas. like thighland, oops it's tylan cafe, in san jose the chicks here with ample cleavages attract male clients. furniture is recycled trash from auctions.
 

scroobal

Alfrescian
Loyal
Gals like to open small cafe, guys pub. Before rentals went skyhigh, pubs were repeatedly opened and closed in Katong, Paramount hotel vicinity, West Coast, Changi etc. Usually done by people with surplus cash and looking for some hobby with possible profits and lots of fun and excitement.
 

Kakamora

Alfrescian
Loyal
Gals like to open small cafe, guys pub. Before rentals went skyhigh, pubs were repeatedly opened and closed in Katong, Paramount hotel vicinity, West Coast, Changi etc. Usually done by people with surplus cash and looking for some hobby with possible profits and lots of fun and excitement.

Yes and it is common to find 3,4,5 or 10 investors in a pub or ktv. These shareholders will tell their wives that they need to visit the pub or ktv on a certain day weekly to "check accounts" or collect profits, as an excuse to find their favorite chick.
 

scroobal

Alfrescian
Loyal
Yes, perfect excuse. 20 years, Tanglin and Lucky Plaza was well known.

Yes and it is common to find 3,4,5 or 10 investors in a pub or ktv. These shareholders will tell their wives that they need to visit the pub or ktv on a certain day weekly to "check accounts" or collect profits, as an excuse to find their favorite chick.
 

frenchbriefs

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
this is a pipe dream not a business,a real businessmen will consider the most viable business before committing a single dollar,not simply choose to do what their "dream" is.

a good businessman will do proper market research first and product research,to understand that this is really what customers want,the problem most people dont understand is its not u who decide that ur product or service is pretty good or awesome and people will surely like it and want to buy it and it will sell,u do not determine that,u have to find out exactly what people want or desire beforehand and give them that.if pencils and crayons is what ur customers wants,do not try to sell them a mont blanc pen,u will fail miserably 9 out of 10 times......People in Singapore are more likely to sit down and have some kaya and butter toast and a cup of coffee for $4.50 or a bowl of curry chicken.why they do that i have no fucking clue.also Singaporeans appear to love asian cuisine more than anything,especially the fast food type,katsu curry,japanese bentos,korean hotplates,ramen,fried chicken,korean bbq etc etc......in melbourne they have german,italian and french and Mediterranean and even eastern european restaurants....Singaporean's tastebuds are simple and childish.

many people think u need alot of money in order to start a business $50,000 or $100,000 or something,the best businesses are those that require very little startup capital,$500 or $1000.which is why online is the best way to go,start from home or ur garage.overheads are extremely low,there are no rents or utilities to pay,no need to hire employees to work ur store or stand or shop,the internet is always up 24/7 selling and making money while u sleep,u can focus on things which actually matters like acquiring customers and generating more sales/revenues.i dont understand why people would want to saddle themselves with all kinds of burdens,thousand dollar rents,employee wages,utilities and bills and logistics,and thousands and thousands of dollars of inventory to fill ur shop which u have no idea whether or not they are going to sell,all that before they start generating a single dollar of sales,and they are struggling to make rent and wages and utilities every month pay for deliveries receivables.online all ur problems are gone,u can work at ur own pace and grow ur company at a organic rate,u can start small with $500 of merchandise,and slowly as u sell and make more money,u can reinvest the profits into more inventory and start growing ur monthly sales/revenues,u can slowly trial and error to find out what things sell and what doesnt(which is the hardest part of all),online the world is ur customer base,u dont necessary have to sell to local customers or businesses,which makes u an international business.
 
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nayr69sg

Super Moderator
Staff member
SuperMod
well at least some people dare to step up to the plate and take a swing.

Better than those of us sit down only know how to be armchair critic.
 

frenchbriefs

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
im not a armchair critic,im a consultant.

besides this is a forum,we are all armchari critics,arent we not here everyday criticizing something?
 

nayr69sg

Super Moderator
Staff member
SuperMod
im not a armchair critic,im a consultant.

besides this is a forum,we are all armchari critics,arent we not here everyday criticizing something?

The difference between a critic and a consultant is that the consult has someone consulting him/her. The critic has an audience. So yes you are a critic.
 
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