New Straits Times - Largest Starbucks Reserve opens in Tropicana Gardens Mall

TGM managing director Andrew Ashvin said having a global brand like Starbucks and having it open its premium and largest Starbucks Reserve in TGM is an important milestone and achievement for the company.

"We are in talks with several other brands to set up shop in the mall," he said at a media event held today at Starbucks Reserve.

Ashvin said TGM has done well since its opening last March with 68 per cent out of the total 300 retail units taken up.

He said, 43 per cent or 123 units have started their business or trading, despite the on-going Covid-19 pandemic.

TGM is part of the Tropicana Gardens integrated development comprising four blocks of serviced apartments with about 1,400 units, an office block.

The one million sq ft mall spread across seven floors will see its occupancy hitting 62 per cent by July, Ashvin said.

"Currently, the shopping mall traffic is about 200,000 a month and we are aiming to achieve 500,000 by the end of this year as we see the market improving," he said.

Ashvin expects the retail segment would bounce back, given the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine and the various government stimulus packages.

Meanwhile, Berjaya Food Bhd group chief executive officer and Starbucks Malaysia and Brunei managing director Sydney Quays said it costs an average of RM2 million to open Starbucks Reserve.

He said the group currently operates 327 Starbucks outlets, 57 Starbucks Drive-Thru, and 13 Starbucks Reserve stores across the country.

Quays said it has set aside as much as RM60 million to open as many as 25 new outlets this year. The group has opened 13 outlets since the start of this year despite the on-going Covid-19 pandemic.

Between now and December, another 10 to 12 new outlets will open, including the first store in Perlis. Quays expect the food and beverage business to do better when interstate travel is allowed.