SINGAPORE – As Kallang Wave Mall undergoes its first major makeover since opening in 2014, the temporary closure of some stores, including the FairPrice Xtra supermarket, appears to have left the mall quieter.
Usually bustling on days when concerts are held at the nearby Singapore Indoor Stadium and National Stadium, the mall was noticeably sparser when The Straits Times visited on Aug 27.
Several stores were shuttered on the first and second levels of the mall, with only a small weekday crowd at food and beverage outlets such as The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and bubble tea store Chicha San Chen. At the peak dinner hour, there were no queues at any restaurants.
A shop selling beauty and phone accessories in the mall was open but empty when ST visited.
“When there’s a concert, there’s still a crowd. But the crowd is here for their concert needs like food and beverages, not for shopping,” said an employee in the accessory shop, who declined to be named. She also asked for her shop not to be named.
“It’s been very quiet these days. You can see how business is for yourself – the foodcourt has closed and so has FairPrice,” she said, adding that she was unsure whether her shop would close temporarily.
Sportswear retailer Sports Fashion will remain open during the renovation period, said an employee who declined to be named.
Sportswear retailer Sports Fashion’s outlet in Kallang Wave Mall was seen holding sales for its shoes, with discounts going as high as 50 per cent off a pair.
ST PHOTO: ROSALIND ANG
Tenants that have relocated within the mall include Lorna Whiston Preschool, Key Power Sports, BMJ Physio & Sports Performance Clinic and Paco FunWorld, which reopened as Arcadia X.
FairPrice Xtra will also relocate. The supermarket, which closed in April, is currently undergoing renovation and will return with a refreshed concept, a spokesperson for the mall said.
Stores that exited the mall in August include Daiso, halal foodcourt My Kampung and Venusia Medical Aesthetics Clinic.
The asset enhancement works at Kallang Wave Mall are being carried out in phases, and the mall will remain open and operational throughout this period, said a mall spokesperson.
“As part of the works, some stores may temporarily close or relocate within the mall before reopening at a later date, while other spaces may be refreshed with new concepts as part of the mall’s updated tenant mix.”
Kallang Wave Mall opened in June 2014 as part of Singapore Sports Hub, which was renamed The Kallang in November 2025.
This is the mall’s first major refresh since 2014, said the mall spokesperson.
Slated for completion in 2028, the refresh aims to reposition the mall as an experiential sports and lifestyle retail destination.
“Shoppers can look forward to a reimagined 21m indoor climbing wall, a new multi-sensory playscape, refreshed dining and community spaces, and a curated mix of sports, wellness, lifestyle and dining concepts,” the spokesperson said.
People of all ages were seen scaling the existing rock-climbing walls at the Climb Central indoor climbing gym, which will remain open during the revamp period, according to the brand’s Instagram page.
Patrons of Kallang Wave Mall’s Climb Central continue to scale the rock climbing walls in the mall.
ST PHOTO: ROSALIND ANG
The mall will also have new offerings such as the New Balance Run Hub, an integrated fitness retail store, and a Mutts & Mittens’ purpose-built pet community hub.
Local brand ReFormd Group will open a gym with personal training services, a recovery centre with cold plunges and ice baths, and a retail section.
CapitaLand Investment was appointed by government-backed Kallang Alive Sport Management to manage Kallang Wave Mall for six years from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2030, as part of plans to revitalise the Singapore Sports Hub retail experience.
This came after government agency Sport Singapore terminated its public-private partnership with a private consortium in December 2022, 13 years ahead of schedule.
The move gave it full control of the entire Singapore Sports Hub – including Kallang Wave Mall – enabling it to carry out plans to make the precinct more community-centric, integrated and accessible.
