Robinsons will be closing its Jem department store at the end of August 2020.
They had been holding discussions with the mall’s landlord Lendlease since November 2019, and came to an “amicable” decision to exit.
According to The Straits Times, Robinsons said that drastic changes in the retail scene have made it “no longer a sustainable option” to operate multiple large-scale department stores in Singapore.
The outlet at Jem has been in operation since 2013 along with the mall’s opening, and was Robinsons’ only location outside the town area.
Its other two outlets are at Raffles City Shopping Centre and The Heeren. It also used to have a flagship store at The Centrepoint until 2014.
With the closure, Robinson plans to relocate staff to its remaining two outlets or to other retail brands under their parent company Al-Futtaim Group.
Otherwise, they will try to help them find new employment with other stores in Jem.
Similarly, Japanese department store Isetan also closed its outlet in Westgate on 31 March.
In line with how the retail landscape is shifting, Robinsons has ramped up its efforts to reach customers online.
In addition to its existing online store, which will undergo a revamp, it has also launched its products on Lazada’s ‘LazMall’.
Featured Image Credit: Robinsons
