Quaint as they are convenient, heartland malls are the unsung heroes of Singapore’s suburban areas. These traditional malls might not have big-name brands as their core tenants, but they’re filled with other goodies. Be it bubble tea shops or indie bakeries, heartlands malls can provide an escape from the crowds and the bustle. So, staying near a heartland mall offers peace and quiet while providing you access to a wide range of convenient amenities and eateries.

Smaller in size, these malls can be found nestled within residential neighbourhoods. Some might not even have an MRT connection. They may have their own heritage and history, but they’re far from drab malls. But as we revisit our take on heartland malls, we’re looking at the more petite, fascinating ones. So forget the bustling malls of Orchard Road! Here are some of the notable heartland malls in Singapore, and some of the nearby Singapore serviced apartments and Singapore condo rentals that’s only a short commute away.

Table of Contents

• • • 1. Bukit Timah Shopping Centre
    • 2. Beauty World Centre
    • 3. Queensway Shopping Centre
    • 4. Heartland Mall
    • 5. Tiong Bahru Plaza
    • 6. Eastpoint Mall
    • 7. Bishan North Shopping Mall
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One of the first air-conditioned malls in Singapore, this heartland mall is the mall that launched a thousand malls. The architect, Chee Soon Wah, experimented with spatial planning with this shopping centre. He adopted unique floor plates for each level, with staircases and escalators dotted along unorthodox points. Navigating within the mall can be confusing, but it offers a labyrinthine experience that allows you to take a look at all the shops. Still, its unique spatial design paved the way for Singapore’s high-rise mixed-use typology. 

Address: 170 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 588179

Nearest MRT: Beauty World MRT (Downtown Line)

Website: https://www.bukittimahshoppingcentre.sg/

Singapore Serviced Apartments around Bukit Timah:

• Hillside Residences, 3 MRT stops away

This heartland mall witnessed the headwinds of history. It got its name from the market that once was an amusement park. Crowds thronged with a dance hall, a cinema, stages for wayang and getai, a large gambling hall, and a plethora of food stalls. As the Japanese occupied Singapore, the amusement park fell in popularity, so the market took its place. The market was named Beauty World for the daughter of one of the owners. The ‘World’ in its namesake referred to not only its past but also nods to other amusement parks in Singapore too: ‘Great World‘ and ‘Gay World‘.

But the market was plagued by fires, and two blazes devastated it in the late 1970s. By 1975, the government had acquired the land and began discussions to relocate the tenants. Against that backdrop, the Beauty World Centre rose to rehouse the displaced tenants, with construction completed in 1983.

The finished air-conditioned complex had 11,450m2 of commercial floor space spread across 5 levels, with an adjoining 20-storey residential tower. One of its defining characteristics is its barrel-vault skylights above the central atrium. Back then, it was covered with polycarbonate sheets, giving the atrium a lush, brown sheen.

Address: 144 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 588177

Nearest MRT: Beauty World MRT (Downtown Line)

Website: https://www.beautyworldcentre.net/

Singapore Condo Rentals around Beauty World:

• Hillside Residences, 3 MRT stops away

It’s one of the pioneer multi-purpose shopping complexes, alongside Katong Mall and Golden Mile. Opened in 1974, its Modern, octagonal façade and central sunken concourse are its distinctive features. It’s known for its affordable sports equipment shops too. But bargain hunters of Singapore also love to head there in search of engravers, men’s tailor shops, and, fascinatingly, men’s tailor shops.

Address: 1 Queensway, Singapore 149053

Nearest MRT: Queenstown MRT (East West Line)

Website: https://www.queenswayshoppingcentre.com.sg/

Singapore Serviced Apartments and Condo Rentals around Queensway:

• Principal Garden, 2 MRT stops away
• Alex Residences, 2 MRT stops away

It remains as bustling as ever. That’s because Heartland Mall is right atop Kovan MRT. It boasted itself as the largest Oriental Emporium department store in its heyday. But today, the shops at Heartland Mall certainly won’t disappoint. There are plenty of eateries, from fast food outlets to the classic auspices of Toastbox and Ya Kun Kaya Toast. There’s also Cold Storage on the first floor, while the POPULAR bookstore sits on the third floor. And if you’re looking for houseware, check out the Japan Home store on the third floor.

Address: 205 Hougang Street 21, Singapore 530205

Nearest MRT: Kovan MRT (North East Line)

Website: https://heartlandmall.com.sg/

Singapore Condo Rentals around Kovan:

• Riverine Banks, 4 MRT stops away

Completed in 1994, it’s the first shopping centre in the coveted neighbourhood of Tiong Bahru and Bukit Merah. The mall is built upon the typical typography of suburban malls of the 90s, complete with a cinema, supermarket, department store, food court, and not to mention, over 100 speciality shops.

It underwent a $90 million revamp in 2015, refreshing its external facade and expanding its commercial spaces. New tenants graced its stores too, with Golden Village, Uniqlo and Miniso moving into Tiong Bahru Plaza. So why not do some light shopping before you head to the nearby Tiong Bahru enclave for a coffee or two.

Address: 302 Tiong Bahru Road, Singapore 168732

Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru MRT (East West Line)

Website: https://heartlandmall.com.sg/

Singapore Serviced Apartments and Condo Rentals around Tiong Bahru:

• Principal Garden, 1 MRT stop away
• Alex Residences, 1 MRT stop away
•  Two Sixty One, 1 MRT stop away
• Louis Kienne Serviced Residences, 1 MRT stop away

Easties can look at the cluster of malls around Tampines MRT for your shopping needs: Century Square, Tampines One, and Tampines Mall. But if you want a more leisurely time, you can look to Eastpoint Mall. Shop with ease at favourites like Daiso or get your groceries without crowding with other shoppers at the checkout aisle at their 24-hour FairPrice supermarket. If you’re a digital nomad or a business traveler with little ones towing along, there’s a kaleidoscope of enrichment centres too, as well as a cute nautical-themed rooftop playground at the mall too.

Address: 3 Simei Street 6, Singapore 528833

Nearest MRT: Simei MRT (East West Line)

Website: https://www.eastpoint.sg/

Singapore Condo Rentals around Simei:

• The Glades, 1 MRT stop away
• Eastwood, 1 MRT stop away

This heartland mall is as old school as it gets. Warning: this mall isn’t an air-conditioned complex, though its shops are. The Bishan North Shopping Mall harkens back to a simpler time, with an open-air atrium at the centre of its quaint premises. There’s a delightful collection of speciality shops, Traditional Chinese Medicine halls, clinics, beauty salons, bakeries, and a kopitiam. Not to mention, it’s just a stone’s throw away from the Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park.

Address: 282 Bishan Street 22, Singapore 570282

Nearest MRT: Bishan MRT (North South Line)

3rd-Party Directory: https://www.streetdirectory.com/sg/bishan-north-shopping-mall/282-bishan-street-22-570282/824_101427.html

Singapore Condo Rentals around Bishan:

• Sky Habitat, 10 minutes away by bus