Sunset Way’s Bold and Trendy Makeover Benefits Retailers

As far as landed residential areas go, Sunset Way has always been a favourite of mine, along with Raffles Park. The two have always had a nice kampong vibe about them, and unlike most neighbourhoods suffering the pangs of ‘urban renewal’- where new McMansions stand side-by-side with older, derelict houses; the older houses in the two aforementioned neighbourhoods have a distinct charm to them. Typically older, mock tudor(not stockbroker tudor- just mock tudor) single storeyed houses with newer expressions of contemporary architecture co-exist in the same neighbourhood. Have been planning on a psychogeographic experiment correlating the findings of individuals’ reactions to neighbourhoods against real estate caveats, and am sure that the psychogeographic index(if not the registered caveats) for Sunset will be pretty high.

There was always a community restaurant selling french fare in the nearby ’shopping centre’. If the picture from Straits Times today is anything to go by, however, the F&B scene has been parlayed into a chic stretch of restaurants and cafes with a distinct kampong-like atmosphere(I like it that it’s still ok to stroll around in baggy t-shirts and shorts and a bay in tow in front of a store named Peaberry & Pretzel).

Dempsey was exciting for a while but the crowd at P.S. Cafe I find to be increasingly, annoyingly pretentious and, save for Dempsey House which I have every intention of checking out for the novelty factor, I think I’ll give Dempsey a rest for now. Peaberry&Pretzel and the freedom of sauntering around like you’re in Toa Payoh beckons.

Excepts of report below:

Some new food and beverage retailers told The Straits Times they looked at Tanglin Village before settling on Sunset Way, forking out an average $250,000 to set up shop.

One tenant, who did not want to be named, said he was paying rent of about $5.50 per sq ft (psf).

That is far cheaper than the rent at Holland Village of $15 psf, and those at Tanglin Village of about $8 to $10 psf, as well as nearby Rochester Park of about $12 psf, estimated Sunset Way’s master tenant, Mr Victor Koh of Circles International Solutions. ‘I did my research before deciding on the prices here. It’s important to be affordable when the estate’s just starting again.’ The rejuvenated HDB neighbourhood centre – comprising about 50 shops from Block 105 to 109 in Clementi – is the first success story under the HDB’s Restructuring Programme for Shops.

Launched in 2005, it gives struggling retailers in a location a way out with an ex-gratia $60,000 payment if more than half opted to quit.

This trigger point was revised recently to 30 per cent.

When over half the retailers at Sunset Way’s Block 106 quit two years ago, the remaining business faltered as crowds thinned out.

Under the scheme, HDB converts the empty shops into spaces for communal uses.

But Sunset Way’s potential was too good to ignore.

Under the scheme, HDB converts the empty shops into spaces for communal uses.

But Sunset Way’s potential was too good to ignore.

Shopkeepers began talks with HDB and the ward’s MP, Mr Christopher de Souza, to save the centre.Outlets that have seized the opportunity include steak house Grill-Out, a cafe specialising in New Zealand wine and food, and a bistro, peaberry & pretzel.

Even Rocky’s Pizza is back. It was synonymous with the area for 15 years before it was edged out by a new condo. Owner Daniel Cooley decided to return as soon as he learnt of a vacancy.

Resident Madam Celestine Yuan, 35, is pleased. ‘Now I don’t have to go far to get a unique, casual yet sophisticated dining experience.’