Saturday, March 03, 2007

Shopping For Hope

Central Shopping Mall Atrium
Had a date with Wifey today.

Together, we went out just before noon to look at a shop, potentially will be our new one from Bugis Street.

It was at Central - Level One Shopping Mall in Carpenter Street.

A spanking new place with a beautiful interior. Classy and has lots of potential for a busy mall. Facing the Singapore River - Clark Quay and Robertson Quay, the scenery is stunning.

Central - 3rd Floor River View
Our new shop is on the 3rd floor just around the corner facing the river. About twice as big as our present shop in Bugis, this place is an up-market shopping mall catering to tourists, clubbers and in June the upstairs office workers.

One of the few smaller retail spaces offered there. Our neighbors will be a hair salon and men's wear called C.A.P.

We are thinking to end the present contract end Mar which is our first and last anniversary there. Taking a break for a month, get new supplies and open the new shop in Central in May this year. We are going up town!

This is exciting! Full of hope, full of potential.

Central - Catwalk Level 3 ViewFrom now till mid April, I have to come up with our store layout and deco. This is probably the most exciting part of setting-up shop for me, more than making profit from the sales.

Wifey is excited too. The new shop, the whole shop is hers instead of having to share the space with another tenant.

We are also thinking of changing the shop's name from Chic Couture to something that accurately reflects her passion for women's costume jewelleries... no longer wanting to sell women's clothes.

I hope I can create the deco without looking D.I.Y and amateurish. I hope I can maximise the space fully and still appear wide and uncluttered... without spending too much money.

Wifey has a more realistic outlook. She hopes that her regulars will support her and come down to our new place. Hopefully the new items will be a hit with her regulars and attract new ones too. Wish us luck!

10 comments:

  1. oooh this is wonderful! you sound hopeful and excited! i am happy for you!

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  2. It sounds so exciting. There's so much to know about running a business. The mall looks gorgeous! I hope you don't spend all the profits shopping at the mall!

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  3. Cool a mall spot that is great. The mall looks really cool, and the view of the river is top notch. I hope you all do great things at the new spots. I hope to visit singapore one day it looks sery beautiful to me the pics are really cool. Good luck with the new shop.

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  4. What a great opportunity for the both of you with a good location. Have fun!

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  5. That is so cute! We're going to Duluth, MN for a spring break vacation in a couple weeks (just me and my husband). Some very nice people gave us gift certificates for a resteraunt and hotel there, so we're going to take advantage of it. I hope the snow melts in time- I guess they got hit pretty hard!
    Have fun with your wife!

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  6. My your talented in decorating and setting up the shop. You are in the Arts after all, you see? This is all very exciting Imran!

    I used to be a buyer and seller of Fashion and Vintage clothes to stores. I would love to own a store and sell Fashion clothes, or be a Fashion consultant, I've got a good eye for what looks good on individual people and all that. Ah, those dreams..:(

    I hope your wife loves her new spot in the mall and gets lots of business with the costume jewerly selling like hot cakes!

    Have a beautiful week and am glad you liked the Flower post for you and Barbara. I wanted you both to know how much it meant to me that you both took the time to help out little "ole me".

    Many Blessings,

    Rhi

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  7. Wow, congratulations to you Imran and Wifey on the brand new shop.

    Happy to see entrepreneurship growth for the better.

    I pray that God gives His continued Blessings of business prosperity and growth to both of you.

    Best of luck in the new premises.

    Yamin

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  8. Sounds wicked Imran, full of potential and oppertunities. And the pics were wonderful.

    Wishing you and your wifey best of luck!

    Cheers

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  9. Hello All,

    Thanks for stopping by.

    Meander | We both are excited about this. I could not get to sleep well as I kept thinking how the shop could be like.

    Barbara | You are right. A lot of things to know and we are learning them as we go along.

    You may be right too as I itch to shop whenever it's payday. Now there are a whole lot of stuff right in front of my eyes, I probably will help the other shops instead.

    C-Dell | This mall is new, large and very nice to my standard. It is quiet for now as the official opening is in June, but it holds so much potential, we can feel it.

    It is up-market and the office people upstairs have more spending power than students at Bugis Street where we are now until end Mar '07. So we are indeed excited.

    Carol | Yes, we are going to make this work and have fun at it while we learn the robes of retail business to hopefully flourish.

    LP | I followed the link and saw the large picture of Duluth. The interesting buildings there seem to take me back in time. Beautiful.

    What a wonderful place to spend a quiet get-away time together. It may snow now but snow must make way for spring... flowers will bloom. You will have a great time there I'm sure. Have fun!

    Rhiannon | Thank you again for that wonderful post. It took my breath away when I popped in to find my name and Barbara's on that beautiful photo. That photo is stunning!!

    I was quite good in Arts class when I was in high school. I got most of my work back a week later than the rest of the class because the arts teacher display them at the school hall.

    Some of my work were never returned and were used as teaching samples for other classes on some arts techniques, etc that I never understood myself.

    That was an old story. Now I can't even draw a proper circle anymore... these old hands.

    You and my wife must be twins in another life because she has the same talents and interests as you. Thus the business we're in.

    The shop is called Chic Couture, but she moved away from clothes as the space and stock required for different sizes were too much to bare.

    So we are thinking of a new name to reflect the "bling-bling" we are selling. Very exciting.

    Yamin | Hello old neighbour. Glad you come by. Thank you for the prayers. We wish to succeed in His guidance.

    I support your post "Live, and let live" wholeheartedly. Yes, there is still hope with people and green organization like you.

    May The Almighty bless you for passion to protect the defenceless.

    Crashy | Thanks we are working hard to make this successful. I am gathering confidence too with such posts from you. Thanks for sharing and especially the quotes at the end. Very meaningful and always a practical reminder.


    Have a great week ahead you all!!!

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  10. I wish you both all the luck with this. The location looks amazing. Lots of work to be done but Spring is in the air...

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Hello Everyone,

Thank you for stopping by and leaving me your messages. I will also try to answer any questions you may have for me.

Thanks again and have a good day.

Regards,
Muhd Imran
PAL Blogger