SINGAPORE – In a high-rent, manpower-tight market, some food and beverage (F&B) operators are squeezing more out of a single unit by giving it two distinct identities.

An early example is 118 Telok Ayer Street. Since May 2015, cocktail bar Bitters & Love has been operating at night, while Free The Robot runs the same 1,000 sq ft space during the day, serving coffee, pasta and steak.

Co-founder Beverly Yeoh says: “It makes sense to maximise our rental with two concepts in the same space to generate more revenue since rent increases each time we renew our lease. It’s not likely to go down.”

She adds: “It’s a landlords’ market… We all need to find creative ways to sustain our businesses and value-add to our offerings if we want longevity.”

At Far East Shopping Centre, Kangji Curry Mee and Gai Inn Oyster Izakaya have shared a 350 sq ft unit, switching from lunch to dinner service, since November 2024. “Rather than keep the kitchen idle half the day, we thought, why not share it?” says co-owner Eugene Heng.

At Clarke Quay, 4,500 sq ft Home Singapore operates as cafe Home Dawn by day and Mandopop livehouse Home Dusk by night. Both have been operational since December 2023.

Mr Nick Yeo, founder and chief executive of F&B group Corinthians Asia Group, which owns Home Singapore, says the dual concept reduces risk because there is no need for two locations, two rentals or two renovation budgets. “We maximise one unit across both day and night, which helps with cost control and overall space efficiency,” he adds.

In Amoy Street, Stay Gold Flamingo splits its 2,000 sq ft into a coffee bar upfront and a cocktail bar at the back. Co-founder Jerrold Khoo, who recently added a wine bar to the front, says: “Cafes and bars have a certain synergy. Both exist like a pit stop – during lunch, after work, before going home.”

The Straits Times takes a closer look at these​ four dual-concept spaces.