Malls in Orchard Road remain empty

Low footfall: People crossing at a traffic junction along Orchard Road. The lack of customers in some malls along the prime shopping strip is quite striking given that the retail sector had recorded higher growth last year. — AFP

SINGAPORE: For fashion store owner Darren Yang, 28, setting up shop in December 2020 at his teenage hangout spot Cineleisure Orchard was “like a dream come true”.

In its heyday, the mall was popular with young people like Yang, and had a variety of shops.