“The end of an era” – Singaporeans lament closure of Isetan megastore at Nex

SINGAPORE: After 15 years as a fixture in Serangoon, Japanese department store Isetan has closed its outlet at NEX mall for good, with staff bidding an emotional farewell to customers as shutters came down on Sunday (26 Apr).

The closure marks the end of an era for the store, which had been an anchor tenant since NEX first opened in 2010. On its final day, employees gathered to thank shoppers who had supported the outlet over the years, before lowering the shutters for the last time.

Store manager Gladys Kan addressed the crowd in a farewell speech, expressing gratitude for the support and kindness shown by customers over the past 15 years. She wished them well and encouraged them to patronise Isetan’s last remaining outlet at Shaw House along Scotts Road. Staff then bowed and waved goodbye as the store closed its doors.

In a Facebook post published on Monday (27 Apr), Isetan Singapore confirmed the closure, attributing it to the expiry of its lease. The company thanked its stakeholders and customers, while inviting the public to “continue creating new memories” at its final remaining branch.

Isetan’s presence in Singapore dates back to 1972, when it became the country’s first Japanese department store. At its peak, the retailer operated seven outlets across the island, including a prominent location at Wisma Atria.

In recent years, however, it has steadily scaled down its footprint. Its Westgate branch in Jurong East closed in 2020, followed by its Parkway Parade outlet in January 2022. The NEX closure comes just over five months after its Tampines Mall store shut on 9 November 2025, ending a 30-year run there.

News of the impending closure had been announced by NEX in December last year, with the mall hinting at “new and exciting offerings” set to replace the long-standing tenant.

In the lead-up to its final day, Isetan NEX drew large crowds with moving-out sales offering discounts of up to 70 per cent on a wide range of items. Shoppers flocked to the store in its final weeks, eager to pick up bargains and revisit a familiar retail space one last time.

The closure has also sparked an outpouring of nostalgia online, with many sharing personal memories of the store.

One Redditor posted, “Goodbye Nex isetan. We will miss you. I remembered when I had just moved to serangoon maybe 11 years ago, You were here for the first time. You sold everything, and encompassing 3 levels you might have been the biggest shop in this mall. Goodbye.”

“Sadly the end of the era of department stores. Have so many childhood memories of following my mom around,” a commenter agreed.

One netizen who was there on the final day observed, “The end indeed. I was at Isetan around 7pm and some of the aunties were like ‘可以收工了’ （we can pack up now) jokingly cos it was still so crowded and the others just laughed along. But I can sense that it was bittersweet for them.”

While acknowledging e-commerce has taken over most people’s shopping patterns today, some netizens said the closure of brick and mortar stores still hits hard. One commenter said, “I know there are better deals online but I really like shopping in department stores. It’s really sad to see for me the eventual closures of these stores.”

Another netizen said, “Goodbye Isetan Nex, thank you for all the good memories.”