Arts and lifestyle cluster New Bahru opens, expect local brands like Beyond The Vines, The Coconut Club and more
PHOTO: Facebook/New Bahru
PUBLISHED ONMay 28, 2024 8:38 AMByAmierul RashidIf you're bored of cookie-cutter malls, listen up.
New Bahru, a project driven by hospitality company The Lo & Behold Group, has announced itself on the arts and lifestyle scene.
The compound, previously Nan Chiau High School on Kim Yam Road, has been refurbished and is now set to house more than 50 local businesses from sectors spanning food and beverage, retail, wellness, entertainment, education, arts and culture.
On Monday (May 27), New Bahru shared on social media that it will "progressively open" come May 28.
In a separate Instagram post, New Bahru noted that instead of hacking and rebuilding the space, there was always a belief in preservation.
Banding together the city's best talents will allow visitors to get a sense of the creative soul of Singapore.
Establishments that are all set and ready to welcome you include leather-craft specialists Crafune, Michelin Bib Gourmand Sri Lankan restaurant Kotuwa, and sustainable children's brand Sea Apple, among others.
And there are a host of different brands set to open soon, as varied as homegrown independent bookstore Woods In The Books to boutique fitness studio Off Duty Pilates.
A prominent local brand that is likely to get shoppers excited is Beyond The Vines.
The popular multidisciplinary design studio is set to open its largest store in Singapore to date in New Bahru, though no official date has been revealed yet.
This outlet will offer customisation services and special product lines.
Middle Eastern restaurant Artichoke was synonymous with its Middle Street location, having been situated there for the past 13 years.
Since it closed down in March, Artichoke has yet to find a new home... until now.
Fans of Bjorn Shen's food joint will be pleased to hear that they will be firing up the grills at New Bahru.
The Coconut Club is also set to be part of the New Bahru family, with this being its third outlet.
Specialising in a local favourite nasi lemak, The Coconut Club's third venue will offer an extended menu that celebrates the coconut.
The restaurant has also teased a collaboration is in the works and will be announced soon. So watch this space.
Why New Bahru?
For the uninitiated, bahru means 'new' in Malay, so essentially the name is a repetition of the same word in different languages ('new new').
This was done to reflect the project's hopes of bringing a new creative community together and acknowledge the city's quirk of utilising repetition for emphasis.
Think colloquial terms such as play-play or jalan-jalan (literally translates to walk-walk).
The former Nan Chiau High School is steeped in history, from housing volunteer soldiers in the 1940s to providing education to young girls in the 1950s.
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