Daiso closes Tiong Bahru Plaza outlet on Nov. 18

Daiso’s Tiong Bahru Plaza outlet has closed as of Nov. 18 2024.

Five years

The outlet, which first opened in 2019, announced that it was closing at the beginning of November, in a post on Daiso Singapore’s social media.

The outlet was one of five that was allowed to remain open during the original Covid-19 circuit breaker, although the chain later reversed its decision to operate the outlets amid pandemic restrictions on businesses not providing "essential" services.

While Daiso’s social media post did not elaborate on the reasons for the outlet’s closure, there was much speculation in several groups where it was shared.

A Complaint Singapore user posted that they learnt about the closure via sign posted on the outlet's wall, with some commenters were quick to blame high rents for the closure.

In a Daiso appreciation group, Daiso and Lobang Lovers, a commenter said that there had been a number of other store closures on the same level as Tiong Bahru Plaza.

However, others contributed their own speculation, with one saying that they had noticed the outlet being less utilised after a competing Japanese store opened in the same building.

Another speculated that increasing prices in Daiso had made the store less desirable for consumers and that changes away from Daiso’s original “everything for S$2” pricing model had led to confusion.

One simply said that it was likely due to the end of the store's rental contract.

New stores still opening

Despite this speculation, the closure does not appear to herald any particular doom for the popular Japanese store, as it prepares to open a new outlet in Pasir Ris Mall on Nov. 28.

Earlier in 2024, it also opened a store in the nearby Great World City Mall.

Top image via Google Maps & Complaint Singapore/Facebook