Shin Yang-owned Boulevard Shopping Malls increase dominance of Sarawak Retail market

Boulevard Shopping Mall master plan to be unveiled in phases

Posted on March 3, 2012, Saturday

BIG PLANS AHEAD: Photo shows the team involved behind the expansion as well as the current mall. From left, Boulevard tenants, function and marketing executive, Jeremy Sim, operations manager, Dean Lee, tenants, function and marketing manageress, Diana Thian, function and marketing manager, Pinky Tan and tenants, function and marketing executive, Veron Jong.

KUCHING: With the rapidly progressing retail landscape in the city, The Boulevard Group of Companies is set to unveil its master plan for the Boulevard Shopping Mall (Boulevard) here as its phased expansion progresses on schedule.
“At this juncture, our project is actually still incomplete. We actually have an eight-year plan for the entire project which is scheduled for completion in 2014, upon the wrap up of Phase Four,” Boulevard Shopping Mall tenants, function and marketing manageress, Diana Thian revealed during an interview with The Borneo Post.
She noted that the upcoming soft opening of the mall’s new shopping wing would be Phase Two of the project. At approximately 80 per cent completion, the new wing is scheduled for the soft opening on June 1.
The opening will encompass three floors, with the ground floor’s ‘Stylish Avenue’ targeted at the fashion-conscious crowd, the first floor will be housing retailers catering to mothers and children while the second floor, to be named ‘Gizmozone’ will be occupied by telecommunication companies and gadget retailers.
“The new wing will be accessible from the existing wing through link bridges and it will also have two storeys of parking space,” Thian said.
The manageress also highlighted several retailers that would be opening up their first flagship store in Kuching upon the opening of the new wing, namely Brands Outlet under the Padini umbrella, Trio, Eighteen Plus, Jefferson, Summit, Footin, Shins and Pierre D’Gem to name a few.
All these, she believed would add to the variety of the retail mix in Boulevard.
Boulevard’s impending expansion would expand its retail area to 226,398 square feet and a build-up area of 1,659,437 square feet accommodating 230 tenants in total.
When asked about Phase Three and Four of the development, Thian stated that Phase Three would comprise of a hotel as well as two towers of serviced apartment suites. She noted that the four star hotel would be managed by Boulevard’s very own Imperial Hotel management.
All sections of the upcoming complex would be connected through link bridges, thereby making it convenient for shoppers and hotel guests alike.
“The hotel will also take up the lower ground floor of the new wing for its lounge and fine dining area, the third floor of the new wing for its 14 function rooms.
“Our banquet hall will be able to accommodate up to 1,200 people. There will also be a floor for a gym and other leisure activities,” Thian added.
The final phase, according to Thian, would be the multi-storey carpark cum entertainment centre  housing a skating rink, karaoke centre as well as a cinema equipped with state-of-the-art 3D technology, set to woo Kuchingites of all ages to the one-stop lifestyle mall.