BHG to take over Robinsons at Raffles City by end-Jan

SINGAPORE - BHG Singapore will take over two floors at Raffles City Shopping Centre as Robinsons closed its last outlet there last Saturday (Jan 9).

In partnership with Raffles City Singapore, the department store will open a new concept store showcasing its best beauty, fashion, and home and living products.

The store, called One Assembly, will open by the end of the month, said BHG Singapore and Raffles City Singapore in a joint statement on Friday (Jan 15).

"As established players in the retail industry, BHG Singapore and Raffles City Singapore are drawing on their combined industry insights to explore fresh ways of collaboration and inject new life into the local retail scene," said the statement.

The concept store is expected to go big on digital payments.

Shoppers will have the choice of paying for their purchases using eCapitaVoucher and payment platforms Hoolah and FavePay.

In the future, the store intends to make some of its products available on eCapitaMall, CapitaLand's digital mall.

[[nid:514465]]

Department stores have been shifting some of their business online amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Last November, BHG Singapore told The Straits Times that it launched its own shopping site in June that year.

It also participated in 11.11 and Black Friday sales last year.

To enhance the shopping experience, the One Assembly store will feature two spa cabins for shoppers wishing to relax.

"One Assembly will provide new experiences to shoppers. Combined with its prime location, we are confident that it will become a favoured destination for our shoppers," said managing director of BHG Singapore Udai Kunzru on Friday.

Managing director of retail at CapitaLand Singapore Chris Chong added that the real estate giant was delighted to collaborate with the department store.

"By joining hands to present One Assembly, we set out to enhance Raffles City's shopping experience with a plethora of offerings that are thoughtfully curated for this collaborative space," said Mr Chong.

Before Robinsons moved out of Raffles City, the 85,000 sq ft outlet had occupied three floors.

Robinsons announced on Oct 30 last year that it was closing its last two outlets here, saying that the decision to liquidate was prompted by a range of factors, including changing consumer tastes and cost pressures such as rent.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.