Opening of a Brand New Singapore Mall: The Frenzy at Nex

It was quite an anticlimax. This mall is the size of ION Orchard, but it’s definitely not in the same league. I guess the extreme crowds put me off immediately.  The mall just felt very cramped and the design was not very appealing. If not for the blog I don’t think I would have made the trip here. The only shops that made me excited were the F&B outlets, Food Republic, Wendy’s, Texas Chicken, Carl’s Junior and Starbucks. They were all not open and I saw no sign of Freshness Burger. There were no new shops and it was like seeing a duplicate of other malls – so dreary and humdrum I say. I am sure people in other countries are not this mall obsessed, but in small hot country, you eventually end up at a mall just to escape the heat and have a drink.

I am disappointed the only bookstore at Nex, is Popular, which has a dismal range of good books. The car park was also very narrow and crammed. I don’t think many of my relatives would enjoy driving here, especially with the long queues for a car parking space.  Maybe my views will change when the mall is fully open and not as crowded after the initial euphoria has worn off.

Today McDonald’s and KFC were among the few outlets open and McDonald’s had no burgers, only fries, nuggets and wings for quite a while. Their service was good though and they explained that the delivery trucks had not arrived yet. There was little boy serving me who couldn’t have been more than twelve! Maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me and he was just a baby faced 15-year-old? His service was excellent though I felt sorry for such a little kid serving a busy crowd. This makes me wonder about the minimum age to work part-time. I first worked when I was 17 I think.

Here are some photos, in case you don’t feel like bumping into the crowds, but are curious about what the place looks like. I would say go with low expectations and you may be pleasantly surprised. In my view, this mall beats the other malls in the north-east, Junction 8 and Ang Mo Kio Hub. B prefers Junction 8.

There are altogether 6 levels with 2 in the basement.  I forgot to mention that there’s also Spinelli, Ship Restaurant, Leonard Drake, VHive the furniture store, Supercuts, Reds Hair Salon, Jason Sally another hair place, Shaw Theatres, Sasa, and a Japanese Food Court.  I wonder why the official website is not updated with a full directory.

photo by bookjunkie

photo by bookjunkie

photo by bookjunkie

photo by bookjunkie

photo by bookjunkie

photo by bookjunkie

photo by bookjunkie

About bookjunkie

Blogging about life in Singapore & recently cancer too.
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7 Responses to Opening of a Brand New Singapore Mall: The Frenzy at Nex

  1. Pingback: Itching To Check Out the Newest Mall in Singapore: Nex « Tiny Island

  2. WOW! It’s huge!!! (that’s what she said)
    I live in southeast USA and we don’t have any malls that look as amazing as this! Boring is not one of the adjectives I would attach to these pictures!!!

    • bookjunkie says:

      I guess it’s takes another perspective to make me appreciate what I have…..thanks 🙂 I actually was awestruck by the malls in the US – Boston…..because of all the space…and benches where you could sit.

  3. Crystal says:

    Another mall? Why? Was there more than a 10 meter walk of sidewalk not taken up by one?

  4. Pingback: Serangoon Central’s Nex Mall (More Shops) « Tiny Island

  5. Pingback: Let us examine “new” and “old” « Expat Bostonians

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