A multi-concept lifestyle centre has opened on Kreta Ayer Road, The Social Space. While it looks minimalistic from the outside, the space is full of products and services with a focus on social and environmental concerns, reports Coconuts Singapore. Set up by husband-and-wife entrepreneurs Cheryl Ou and Daniel Yeow, the space features a tea bar and cafe, a fair-trade retail section, a florist, a “refillery” area, and a nail salon run by The Nail Social, which Ou co-founded to help underprivi
leged women.
Balinese weaving decks out the store, which features a 3m wooden table recycled from an old bridge in Java, and a hand-painted mural by Indonesian artist Budi Agung Kuswara.
Low-waste initiatives are advocated at the shop, such as using steel and glass drinking straws, as well as reusable bottles and takeaway cups. Its “refillery” aims to reduce packaging waste by encouraging customers to take in their own household containers to refill with cleaners. These enzyme-based cleaning products by EcoSenses are made with fruit peels collected from vendors, in collaboration with the volunteer-based welfare organisation Minds, which provides employment opportunities for individuals with cognitive disabilities.
The store’s retail area is stocked with handcrafted goods from such countries as Borneo, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Fresh flowers or dried blooms are available from a florist section run by LushWoods.
At the cafe, smoothie bowls are offered plus toasted sandwiches. There is also a range of tea blends as well as cold-brew coffees and teas.
