On 30 Oct, residents could hear a strange sound reverberating around the country.
It sounded a little like the doleful moo of a sleepy cow or the bleat of an old goat.
Further investigations revealed that it was actually the groan of shoppers all over the country after they learned that Robinsons would be closing their last two stores in Singapore.
Thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, Robinsons was forced to exit the physical retail scene after 162 years in the game.
But I’m not here to remind you about the closure of your favourite store. I’m actually here to deliver some good news for a change.
Robinsons in Raffles City Will Remain Open Throughout the Christmas & New Year Period
That’s right.
Whether you’re a last-minute Christmas shopper or a die-hard fan of Robinsons, you’ll be happy to hear that Robinsons’ department store in Raffles City will stay open throughout the Christmas and New Year period.
It has yet to officially announce its last day.
Even better, the store is offering larger discounts this week for items in the cosmetics, toiletries, toys, and electrical goods sections, according to The Straits Times.
Robinsons’ flagship store at The Heeren in Orchard Road closed its doors for good last Wednesday (16 Dec), but it’s not known when their Raffles City outlet will shutter.
Robinsons Appoint KordaMentha as Liquidator
It was revealed a month after the store announced its closures that it would appoint KordaMentha as its liquidator.
A liquidator is an officer or entity who is specially appointed to wind up the affairs of a company when the company is closing.
This includes selling the assets of the company, and using the funds to pay off the company’s debts.
When they appointed KordaMentha, Robinsons owed 442 creditors some S$31.7 million in total, according to The Business Times.
KordaMentha said it would have completed the realisation of Robinsons’ assets when the Raffles City store is closed.
However, it’s unknown when this will be.
As Robinsons’ liquidators KordaMentha said on Monday (21 Dec), “We are not in a position to confirm the last day of operation yet as we do not want to prejudice the outcome of the sales campaign and, therefore, creditors’ recoveries.”
While it’s last day of operations will also be the last day for the store’s sales staff, a few back-office employees will be retained for a short period to assist with post-closing tasks.
Closed Due to Covid-19
In May, Robinsons announced it would be closing its JEM store, which opened in 2013.
And just five months later, the retail chain announced it would be shuttering its last two stores in the country, owing to the store’s “inability to continue operations due to weak demand at department stores”.
A shift to online shopping over the years has greatly impacted the store’s sales, but it was the Covid-19 pandemic, unsurprisingly, that put the nail in their coffin.
If you’re sad to see Robinsons go, you should head down to Raffles City soon, before it closes for good.
Featured Image: Claudine Van Massenhove / Shutterstock.com
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