By Reggie J

TEKKA Mall is changing its name to The Verge.

Ai-yo-yo!

After just five years, why has it all gone posh and uppity, considering its smack bang in the heart of Little India?

This gentrification seems to be a common trait among mall owners across the island.

The owners of Tekka Mall, in particular, seem confident that all you need do is revamp a building, rope in a few tenants and watch it take off.

Both locals and tourists alike have many choices now. A name change and slapping on a new veneer is not the solution.

What is needed is a vibrant mix of tenants who can reflect the diverse character of Little India.

Meanwhile, who came up with the name, The Verge, and how was it ever dreamt up? This remains for now a mystery.

Another mystery is why they would want to tone down the Indian identity of a building in this corner of Singapore.

For crying out loud, Tekka Mall, oops, I mean The Verge, is at the crossroads of Little India.

Isn't that what, importantly, tourists especially come here for?

They want cultural uniqueness, not some slick branding that they would have seen in just about every other big city.

The usual brand name tenants dominate in malls here , there and everywhere.

Hello, what ever happened to character?

Our mall managers should pluck a leaf from great shopping experiences elsewhere.

Think SoHo in New York City, folks. Or Harajuku in Tokyo,

Building character is the name of the game.

To ignore this is to be on the verge of retail marketing idiocy.

The writer is a former Singapore marketing professional

This article was first published in The New Paper on Aug 25, 2008.