Tiong Bahru Sees Store Closures and Dwindling Foot Traffic, CNA Reports

Dwindling foot traffic and store closures have hit Tiong Bahru, once celebrated as Singapore’s premier hipster enclave, CNA reported.

The historic estate, bounded by Tiong Poh Road, Outram Road and Seng Poh Road, comprises 20 blocks of low-rise pre-war buildings featuring residential units and shophouses. The Urban Redevelopment Authority gazetted these blocks for conservation.

Gentrification began in the early 2010s. Older businesses such as hair salons and textile shops made way for cafes, bakeries, and artisanal stores.

Spa Esprit Group was an early mover, opening four establishments between 2010 and 2013. These included specialty coffee cafe Forty Hands, bistro Open Door Policy, Tiong Bahru Bakery, and men’s grooming salon We Need A Hero.

Independent bookstores BooksActually and Woods in the Books opened shops at Yong Siak Street in 2011 and 2013 respectively. Clarence Soh, a lifetime resident of the estate, watched the transformation unfold during those years.

“It was vibrant to the extent that a lot of my friends were coming all the way from Woodlands, Jurong and Tampines to Tiong Bahru to drink,” Mr Soh told CNA.

The 46-year-old resident has noticed a shift in recent years. Tourists and locals are less attracted to the area as cafes and bookstores close down or move elsewhere.

“Last time you could see here, on normal days, tourists were walking around, taking pictures of our estate, but right now, it’s so rare to see this,” Mr Soh told CNA as he gestured to the quiet streets. “Everything seems to be dying off.”