Summer Love
Korean and Japanese fashion retailer Summer
Love was founded in May 2012 by Takeshi Lim and Eunice Foo, as a response to an
offer by *SCAPE and Nanyang Polytechnic. Summer is the hottest and the sunniest
season of the year (i.e. May to August), and also the period of finest
development and perfection. Summer is also the often the season when teens fall
in love. And so, the name Summer Love was created by the young
entrepreneurs.
Being young entrepreneurs is never easy.
Fortunately, their strengths complemented well – Takeshi Lim held a diploma in
business management (Retail Specialization) . Having been exposed to many
training opportunities in school and during his attachment at Charles and
Keith, he was very much in love with the retail industry. Eunice Foong was a
Diploma in Business Management (Supply Chain Management) student and was
exposed to how the supply chain system worked in a company, and very much
into logistics for this fast paced environment.
Even then, they faced many problems during
the establishment of the company, and had to work with limited capital. There
were also many changes during the planning stage of *SCAPE.
However, the entrepreneurs did not let this dampen their spirits. Instead, it
motivated them to strive on and make sure that things went on smoothly, and
with proper planning and budgeting, they succeeded.
Summer Love carries a wide and extensive
range of female fashion apparel and accessories, updated at least twice a month
to keep up with the ever changing fashion runways. Summer Love aims to be the
one-stop portal targeted at females aged 16 to 35 looking for affordable Korean
& Japanese apparel and accessories
Summer Love also has an online store, where
customers can shop for a larger range of products unavailable at the retail
outlet. Purchases are shipped directly to customers at their convenience.
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| Bags from Summer Love |
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| More bags from Summer Love on display |
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| Counter of Summer Love |
90s Candy Studio
Inspired by their birth years as tribute to all the fun times and ‘sweet’ memorise of the past, the 90s Candy Studio was set up by four young entrepreneurs – Robin Goh, Nissa Suhaimi, Li Jun Lim and Sherrie Guo, taking up an opportunity presented by Nanayang Polytechnic.
At the same time, they wanted to create hope for the less fortunate. They achieved this by patronising the company “爱,” pronounced ‘ai.’ Meaning ‘love’ in Chinese, the company engages the deaf and hearing impaired to repack the candies that are supplied to the 90s Candy Studio. In addition, 90s Candy Studio even hires the hearing impaired to serve customers.
The soft launch of their first shop was on Bugis Street on 10th August 2012, and was officially opened on 23rd September 2012. On 20th October 2012, 90s Candy Studio will launch their second shop in *SCAPE, with the aim of reaching out to the mass as well as creating hope for the less fortunate by giving them more job opportunities.
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| From the Left: Sherrie, Nissa, Robin, LiJun, Ms Lee(Lecturer) |
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| Helpers at Official Opening |
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| Display from Bugis Shop |
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| Candies available for sales |
About the Entrepreneur:
Robin Goh – JNR Entertainment
Robin Goh came to Nanyang Polytechnic after
graduating from Bowen Secondary School with an O-level of 16 points. Insipred by having many wealthy friends, he started working at 13. His first job was as a door
to door ice cream promoter, where he developed his communication and interactive skills
with strangers. He knew that this job would need a lot of hard work. Several
months later, he convinced his father to set up a similar company with him as a
distributor for door to door ice cream. This was his first stepping stone to
success.
In his leisure time, he loved to play online
computer games with friends. He believed that gaming among youngsters was on
the rise, and was opportunity for income. He thus created an online private
game, a feat as he had no programming and coding background. He then managed to
gather hundreds gamers around the world to play the game, earning himself a
small pot of gold at the age of 16.
However, it became a passive source of income
for him – he still worked part time with a few companies to gain experience and
exposure. While he worked as a promoter, he found it difficult to attract
people but noticed balloon sculptures that were given away attracted crowds.
Soon, he became a freelance balloon artist for parties. One day, an event company
contacted him, introducing several parties a month and business began to pick
up. He realised that the event company earned much through him.
Thus, he decided to set up an event company,
regardless of the strong competition, and founded JNR Entertainment. Starting
with balloon sculpting, JNR Entertainment soon provided additional services.
First to private birthday parties, it gradually moved to serving Community Club
and Resident Club, then to corporate events. In addition, he ventured into
rental of carnival equipment – bouncy castles, popcorn & candy floss
machines and even carnival games – at affordable rates, and also started
selling complement items for parties, such as licensed foil balloons.
In mid-2012, he was offered a chance to work
with a new business partner, Nissa Yi Jun, and launched a new store, 90s Pte
Ltd, in Bugis Street #03-121 in early August. The idea of setting up 90s was a
social enterprise help the less fortunate, such as engaging the deaf by
creating more job opportunity and awareness for them, contributing to society.
Currently, he is in charge of business development.
The opening of Scape Underground offered a
location with more exposure in the prime area in Singapore. Seizing this
opportunity, 90s and is opening its next store in Scape at the end of
September. In addition, JNR Entertainment will be opening a party & balloon
store in Scape as well.
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| Robin as clown |
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| Balloon Castle (available for rental) |
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| Balloon Slide |
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| Candy Floss Machine |
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| Popcorn machine |
