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January14
customers in mind, and tried to engage
them from the outset. Feedback from
our loyal auction customers and
Facebook followers has played a major
role in shaping our range, and we are
constantly reviewing and refreshing it.
In response to demand, we are offering
a bespoke service on certain furniture
pieces. We even sold our own counter
to a customer who wanted it installed
in time for a company Christmas party!
Our range is our own interpretation of
the rich colonial era that began when Sir
Stamford Raffles founded Singapore as
a “trading post” for the British East India
Company, and you won’t see the same
pieces elsewhere. We not only source
them directly from a diverse range of
suppliers, but have also created some
designs of our own.
How are you sourcing your stock?
We made several trips to the original
British East India Company locations
before opening in September 2013,
and then two more in the lead-up to
Christmas. We have journeyed through
several regions in Northern and Southern
India, Java in Indonesia, and have also
selected pieces from Myanmar and
Vietnam. Our luxury hand-made bedding
range is from Hong Kong.
How is business going?
We have had a fantastic reception from
our Expat Auction client base and are
getting to know lot of new people who
come just for the store. Our first range
of mirrors and our Burmese parasols
sold out really quickly, and there is
strong demand for our artwork. The
sheet sets and wicker baskets sold well
over the holiday period, as people were
preparing their guest rooms for visitors
What have you learnt, and would
you do anything differently next
time round?
Our customers have been a huge
inspiration in how they store has taken
shape, and word of mouth has been
great for business. It’s the same with
suppliers; we try to treat them more like
partners, as our success is their success.
Finally, we know the importance of
partnering with someone who makes
you laugh… and keep on laughing.
What’s the most fun you’ve had
so far?
We have absolutely loved the experiences
on our sourcing travels: visiting
manufacturers in rural India or Indonesia
and getting to know these wonderful
people… not to mention dodging camels
in Jodphur! We’ve also been blessed
by the generosity of the community:
talented designers, photographers, visual
merchandisers and advertising creatives
have all become part of the Singapore
Trading Post story.
What are you looking forward to
for 2014?
Having already remodelled our store
to increase our space and improve
the layout, and we are excited about
expanding our range of smaller pieces
and introducing more gift items.
We’ve also started Expat Expert Talks
for people who want to learn about
furniture and collectibles. So far, we have
focusedon the various types of wood, how
to distinguish genuine items fromreplicas,
regional décor specialities and so on.
We’re also looking at establishing
a Pasir Panjang Homeware Hub in
collaboration with a few other shops in
our area. As part of this, we have created
a map for the location detailing various
food and homeware outlets. And we plan
to have more of a presence at the fairs,
and in publications such as
Expat Living
.
Singapore Trading Post
102F Pasir Panjang Road
#02–04 Citilink Warehouse
6274 0511 |
singaporetradingpost.com