Singapore Flea Market | Near Boon Lay Shopping Centre

There are currently two open-style flea markets organised in Boon Lay, Singapore.

1. Boon Lay Ave  Blk 185  flea market usually opens on alternate Sundays*  
2. Boon Lay Place Blk 210 flea market usually opens on Sundays/ Public Holidays* 

*Schedule might change due to various reasons like bad weather /upgrading works, etc.

Flea Market at blk 185   (see and click images below to enlarge)

The flea market is more popular at Blk 185 which is located behind Boon Lay Shopping Centre and next to the St Francis of Assisi Church. There are many visitors and church members will be passing by this area after mass on a Sunday morning and afternoon. There is a popular stall which sells replica watches and sunglasses , usually operates opposite the lift lobby of blk 185, near to the ice cream vendor.

The flea market will close around 3pm depending on the amount of human traffic, weather conditions. Most of the flea market tenants at blk 185 has simple form of tentages to shleter  their goods and themselves. Hence you can expect the flea market tenants to continue operating even if it starts to drizzle. Do remember to bring along an umbrella if you are thinking of visiting this flea market during raining. 

The rental from what I understand in the past is $10 per day, which must be submitted in advance and approved by the nearby RC there. Details, you can find out the rental prices from the tenants there. 

Flea Market at blk 210

The flea maket at Blk 210 which is further away has much less crowd. It it is located opposite Boon Lay Shopping Centre and Kopitiam. Flea market is totally open style without any protection from rain or sun, hence it will stop operations during bad weather conditions. 

Rental is cheaper here, the last time I understand is $5 per day, can pay to the organizer who will come personally to collect from tenant on that day. Details you can find out from tenants there as well.

What does the Flea Market sell there? 
You can expect to find a lot of 2nd hand stuffs like used clothings, old phone chargers, men pants, bags, toys, etc.
There are also new items like replica watches, electronics, stamps, coins, currency notes.
There is also a ice-cream bicycle vendor there. Occasionally you can find a stall selling kites there.

Below are some pictures fro flea market taken in Sept 2012:

BLK 185 Flea Market

Flea market stall selling replica watches ,
very popular among visitor. 

Crowded at the Blk 185 Flea Market 

Flea Market , some stalls covered with tentages

Flea Market selling used shoes

Flea Market selling used shirts

Flea Market selling soft toys

Flea Market selling toys figurines

Flea Market selling Stamps, Coins, Currency Notes

Flea Market selling Stamps, Coins, Currency Notes

Flea Market selling used phone charges

Bus to Blk 185 Flea Market: 99, 240,174, 198.

Walk Way to Flea Market from Blk 186

                                                          BLK 210 Flea Market

Revitalization Upgrading of Shopping Centers To Improve Shopper Traffic

Upgrading of Shopping Centres

Older Shopping Centres in Singapore has started to improve their external facades and internal infrastructure so as to increase more crowd and also to improve the image of shopping centre. With competition from the nearby trendier, better looking and bigger shopping malls, the older shopping centres have to do something to keep up with the times to bring back the young generation of shoppers. 

Facade

In order to attract more shopper traffic, they are willing to spend some money to face-lift the facade. As the old sayings goes "first impression counts". Hence from a shopper's point of view, the image of a shopping mall is really 1 of the most important decision whether to shop. This is more true especially for those who have not been there and  the younger generation who are more concerned about looks and designs.  

Modern Malls Vs Older Shopping Centres

Services

The modern shopping malls carry more branded stuffs from international retailers, offer a variety of fine cuisine and entertainment like movies, gaming and skating, etc. The older neighborhood shopping centres on the other hand do not have the luxury to offer such all-in-one services to the shoppers. They only provide basic services like barber, electronics sale, food and groceries. 

Environment

Not only does the newer shopping malls offer more products and services than the older shopping centres, it is more comfortable to shop in the air-con as Singapore's weather is humid and hot most of the time.  Older shopping centres do not usually air-con their area so as keep the rental rate affordable. 

Transport

Transportation to the shopping mall is also another factor that can affect the amount of shoppers traffic. The modern shopping mall is usually quite accessible as they are built next to MRT stations and bus interchanges are integrated within the mall itself. The older shopping centres serve mostly the local residents, only buses will reach the place. 

Revitalization of Shops - ROS

Really to improve sales, older shopping centers like the one in Boon Lay has to go through major face-lifts and improvements. The Singapore government has come up with  a solution Revitalization of Shops schemes (ROS) to upgrade existing shopping centres that fall under this category. HDB press release:"Under the Revitalization of Shops (ROS) Scheme, shops at some 35 sites in mature estates like Tampines,Bedok, Jurong and Bishan will undergo renovation and retrofitting. Previous batches of sites are progressing well in their revitalization efforts, with shopkeepers reporting a 10%-20% boost in sales."  Read full article Here

Upgrade Facade of Boon Lay Shopping Centre (side)

The construction of this side facade alone took at least 1 to 2 months. 

The entrance to the car park has to be closed temporarily for panel fitting works. 

This is the more important side as it is facing the bus stop and hawker centre. 

Upgrade Facade of Boon Lay Shopping Centre (front)

photo taken on 7 Sept 2012

Front of Boon Lay Shopping Centre has already gone through more than 2 upgrading .

ROS Revitalization of Shops Scheme (Batch 2) for 

Boon Lay Shopping Centre

Proposed Improvement Works  
(completing around Sept' 2012)


Upgrade External Facade of Boon Lay Shopping Centre
Artist impression of completed facade during the night

According to definition of from online dictionary  Facade is : 

a.

the front of a building, especially an imposing or decorative one.

b.

any side of a building facing a public way or space and finished accordingly.

Benefit to Tenants: attractive facade is more likely to bring in more walk-in customers. 

Benefits to Shoppers: brighter better lightings give shoppers  create curiosity & happier for them to visit the shops.

Upgrade Railings and Balustrades 

Replacement of railings and balustrades in Boon Lay Shopping Centre

Existing railing sand balustrades come in various inconsistent designs. 

Proposed replacement of stainless steel railing of consistent design and compliance to current regulations.  

Benefits to Tenants: safer for operate the business

Benefits to Shoppers: safer for the to shop. 

Escalator Provision 
Addition of 2 escalators, 1 in the front and 1at the back of Boon Lay Shopping Centre

Benefits to the Tenants: encourage more shoppers to explore the 2nd level of the shopping centre

Benefits to Shoppers: easier access to the 2nd Storey of Shopping Centre

Upgrading Community Corner 
Re-arranging the layout of seats and tables at back of Boon Lay Shopping Centre

Benefits to Tenants: more shoppers to come and visit the shopping center by providing more resting  area

Benefits to Shoppers: provide a location for shoppers to rest & residents can interact together to play chess 

SHOPPING GUIDE : FIND SALES/ EVENTS/ LOBANGS/ PROMOTIONS IN SINGAPORE

Baker Talent in Boon Lay Shopping Center Long Queue

Baker Talent (Boon Lay branch)

The new arrival of Baker Talent in Boon Lay Shopping Center created a lot of sensations from nearby residents and working class crowd during the 1st few weeks of its opening sometime in June 2012.

Long queue can be seen forming for at least 3 shop lengths away and most of the patrons have to wait outside the bakery shop for more than 10 minutes in order for their turn to place their orders.  

Why the Queue?

Price

Apparently the explanation for long queue is probably mainly due to the lower prices of buns as compared to other bakery shop there. Most of their buns costs under S$1 while the competitor buns cost at least $1.20.  Take for instance, Butter Boom initially priced at $0.60 is really a good buy for most residents who stay around in Boon Lay are "budget conscious". Low prices does attract a lot more people to make a decision to buy.

During those days you can see many people don't mind standing outside the shop to queue up and calling their friends to find out how many buns to get for them while waiting for their turn.

After making their purchase, you can see many of the satisfied customers happily carrying away plastic bag with at least 6 buns inside to bring back home. Some I believe they bought the buns to share them with their friends and family members. They can buy more with this kind of low prices.

Advertisements

Besides the low prices of their buns, I also thought that the advertisements were very well designed with many enticing photographs of their buns. Just looking at the posters will make you want to have a bite on the buns. 

With the use of words like "Opening Promotion", original price =S$1.20 and promotion price=$0.60, who will just let this good bargain slip by?  When one start queuing while waiting for the buns to be ready , the rest will follow.  This "monkey see , monkey do"   kind of effect also created the long queue pheneomon.

1st Impression of Shop 

The shopfront is newly renovated, well lighted, neat and clean coupled with an open concept style of business where people can see what the bakers and employees are doing. 

Customers feel safe and assured when they can see the baking process and furthermore the buns are properly displayed on the shelf covered with clear glass similar to the one in a jewellery shop. Customers can easily order the buns from the outside by just pointing their  fingers to the choice of buns they want.

What about today? 

Seems that the buying craze has cooled down and much quieter, I can hardly see a soul walking near Baker Talent in Boon Lay.  Looks like people have lost much of their initial great interest in the buns. 

Has it got to do with the quality of the buns? 

I have obtained some feedbacks from people who had tried the buns, they told that some of the buns are " oily ". At first I thought it may be their taste bud problem, how can buns be oily?
When I tried it, I  do have to agree with them..

I bought and tried the Custard bun in July, the texture is different from other normal buns i have eaten in the past.  When I bite on the surface of bun, it does not feel like I am eating bread. 

Tasted kind of soft and feel like I needed to buy at least another one bun to be full.
The bun was also oily so I have to drink more water.

From that day onwards,  I did not come back to order the same type of bun.  

Instead I tried a different flavor, the bun that  has  ham and corns filllings  (the bun has a whiter color ). 

Now it  tasted more like bun to me now and I gave it a thumbs up. 

I believe some of their other flavors of buns are quite tasty and appealing to the taste bud. 

You may want to try  out and see which is the better type, given the lower prices of the buns

and considering you can expect safer food from the clean environment setup.

Best of all, Bake Talent still maintained most of their promotion prices.
and
NO more queues , you can get your bun order within 2 mins;)