PUBLISHED ONJuly 21, 2026 4:03 AMBYCarol OngThose who enjoy shopping at traditional department stores will soon have even fewer places to do so.
Metro Holdings will be closing two of its remaining Singapore outlets at Paragon and Causeway Point when their leases expire and progressively pivot away from its "traditional large-format department store model", it said in a bourse filing on Monday (July 20).
The two outlets' closures will mark the end of Metro department stores in Singapore.
Instead, the company plans to take on a "more flexible retail approach" and is currently evaluating a range of alternative retail formats including smaller-format stores, multi-specialty concept stores, curated retail experiences and pop-up initiatives.
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The decision comes in a bid to better align with evolving customer preferences, shopping behaviours and market trends following a "strategic review" of its retail business performance, according to Metro.
"Metro is engaged in discussions with the existing landlords as well as other landlords to roll out the new retail multi-concept stores," the department store operator said, adding that it has already started evaluating locations and opportunities as part of the transition.
It will assess location suitability, rental terms, financial viability, implementation timelines, as well as other commercial and operational considerations in their evaluations.
The implementation timeline and scope of Metro's transition in Singapore is not yet confirmed and remains subject to ongoing evaluation and planning.
"Metro has been a trusted retail name in Singapore for more than six decades. As the retail landscape continues to transform, it is important that we evolve alongside it," said Tan Soo Khoon, Metro's chairman, in a press release on Monday.
The overhaul comes in the wake of the department store chain recording losses in recent years.
In a response to shareholders' questions with regards to its annual report for FY2026, Metro said Singapore's "challenging retail landscape continued to weigh on the performance" of the department stores.
"Singapore's retail sector continues to face a challenging operating environment, with consumer sentiment weighed by inflationary pressures and a potential economic slowdown," the company explained, adding that department store sales are on a downtrend.
"Retail sales are expected to remain subdued, as cost pressures, global uncertainties and outbound spending continue to weigh on domestic demand."
Weighing in on the transition, Metro Group's CEO and executive director Yip Hoong Mun also said: "Consumer expectations today are fundamentally different."
"Amidst the challenging operating environment, our refreshed retail strategy is designed to meet customers' evolving expectations while having greater flexibility to introduce new concepts, brands and partnerships."
First opened in Singapore in 1957, Metro is a local department store chain selling apparel, homeware, cosmetics and more. At its peak in the early 2000s, it operated 11 department stores in Singapore.
In 2019, Metro shuttered its flagship store at The Centrepoint.
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