Interim tenants take over National Gallery spaces vacated by debt-ridden Gallery & Co

• Interim tenants are running National Gallery Singapore’s ground-floor store and cafe vacated by Gallery & Co
• Abry and Saveur’s leases will expire in early 2021
• The gallery will call for proposals on longer-term leases by December

SINGAPORE — The commercial spaces on the ground floor of National Gallery Singapore, formerly occupied by Gallery & Co, have been temporarily taken up by retailer Abry and restaurant group Saveur.

Abry, a lifestyle and fashion retailer, runs the museum store, while Saveur manages the eatery. 

The museum store, now known as The Gallery Store by Abry, opened on Nov 1. The Gallery Bistro started operations on Nov 6. 

Up until July, debt-ridden Gallery & Co ran a cafe and gift shop there. This was before its parent By AndCo shut down and went into liquidation after the Covid-19 pandemic exacted a toll on its tourism-dependent business.  

The firm, which had run Gallery & Co since 2015, had an estimated debt of S$500,000, TODAY reported in August.

While visitors have more retail and dining options with the entry of Abry and Saveur, they are temporary tenants. Abry’s lease is set to end in the first quarter of next year, while Saveur’s expires next January.

National Gallery Singapore told TODAY that it would issue a request for proposals for the long-term operation of the museum store and dining space by next month.

“We are still in the process of finalising the long-term business model and selection of the long-term partner for the Gallery store.” 

Its spokesperson said that the museum store should offer a range of attractive museum and art-related merchandise and publications, and would be complemented by a casual, all-day dining option in the space beside it.

All interested parties, including Abry and Saveur, are welcome to submit their proposals, but the museum declined to reveal the lease period.

INTERIM RETAIL AND DINING OFFERINGS

In the meantime, Abry is running a museum store that focuses on National Gallery merchandise as well as products by Singaporean brands. 

Ms Adriana Lim Escano, 41, founder and chief executive officer of Abry, said that so far, the response from customers has been positive. Some of them noted that they were glad to have a memento to take back with them after browsing the gallery’s exhibitions. 

“We are trying to build a platform for local vendors,” Ms Escano said. 

The store’s counters are lined with products by homegrown firms such as jewellery brand Soami and Meykrs, which sells products with a Singaporean twist. These include coin pouches shaped like “gem biscuits” and ang ku kueh, a popular Chinese pastry with a skin made of rice flour.

Ms Escano said that there are plans to hold pop-up or flash retailing at the store every weekend until Christmas, in which representatives from homegrown brands conduct events such as workshops on spices and how to make flower crowns that are worn on the head.

With tourism grinding to a near-standstill because of the pandemic, the store is targeting domestic consumers for now, and has seen a mix of young people, families and seniors.

Next to the museum store is The Gallery Bistro run by Saveur, a 100-seat "modern European" bistro that serves meals throughout the day. 

Saveur’s executive director Sharmaine Chng, 33, said that she saw the bistro as a space where visitors can end their day at the gallery.

She added that Saveur is likely to take part in the gallery’s upcoming request for proposals. 

Ms Escano of Abry also indicated interest in applying for a longer-term lease when the opportunity arises.