We got a first look at CHAGEE’s new Chinatown store—and it’s a bold break from the usual

CHAGEE’s newest Chinatown store features exclusive merch, workshops, and limited time 1-for-1 drinks

Chinese tea giant CHAGEE will be opening its 22nd outlet in Singapore this coming Saturday (Nov 1) at Pagoda Street in Chinatown.

This will be the first location in the city-state to double as a retail outlet, featuring Singapore-exclusive merchandise and lifestyle items, as well as a limited-edition apparel collection made in collaboration with homegrown creative studio Tell Your Children (TYS).

Vulcan Post received an exclusive invitation to attend the media preview of the outlet today (Oct 29). Here’s what visitors can expect.

Limited edition merchandise, workshops, and experiences

Upon stepping in, I was met with a wide display of merchandise, each with its own iteration of CHAGEE’s signature design.

Aside from the lifestyle items previously offered at other outlets, the store offers an expanded range of products, including tote bags and gift sets. These items are not yet sold at other locations, based on the CHAGEE mobile app.

CHAGEE also collaborated with TYS to create an apparel collection featuring graphic t-shirts, socks, and hats, which will only be available at the Pagoda House location.

In addition to the new merchandise, the Pagoda House outlet will offer workshops and interactive activities in-store.

Visitors can look forward to palm-reading workshops, Chinese calligraphy sessions led by local artists, guided photo walks through Chinatown, and bond over Nanyang-inspired conversation cards at the tables.

These activities will be rolled out progressively, though CHAGEE Singapore has yet to announce their frequency and how they will be conducted.

To celebrate the opening, the brand will host a three-day Grand Opening celebration from Oct 31 to Nov 2, where guests can enjoy a 1-for-1 Large drinks promotion and take part in the beloved “Tear & Win” activity for a chance to win exciting prizes. This includes a luxury bag, the latest tech gadgets, and limited-edition CHAGEE merchandise.

CHAGEE’s growth in Singapore

Since we first spoke to CHAGEE upon their relaunch in Singapore last Oct, the brand has managed to expand to 22 locations in the city-state, with the Pagoda House outlet being its newest outlet.

Lawrence Wen, the CEO of CHAGEE Singapore, has also revealed that the brand has soft-launched a new location at Hougang Mall, in a bid to expand further into the heartlands.

“We want to be islandwide at the end of the day. We believe that there are more stores that we can cover,” he added.

The business is slowly transitioning from a modern tea house into a lifestyle brand driven by rapidly growing merchandise sales, though Wen declined to reveal exact figures. Moving forward, he shared that merchandise will be customised to suit each location’s environment, noting that an exclusive collection is currently available at its VivoCity flagship outlet.

While the Pagoda House outlet has decided to retain its core menu, Wen shared that the brand is also looking to expand its F&B offerings to differentiate the outlet from its past locations.

Bringing CHAGEE to new international markets

CHAGEE, which was originally founded in Yunnan, China, debuted on the NASDAQ stock exchange this Apr, raising approximately US$411.2 million in its IPO. Despite its strong debut, the company’s shares have fallen more than 20% since it announced its second-half 2025 financial results, which also showed slower growth than the same period last year.

Wen appeared unfazed when I brought this up and explained that, rather than being fixated on short-term fluctuations in share prices, the team is focused on maintaining its long-term market strategy.

“We always say in the longer term, the share market is [like] a weighing machine,” he candidly shared. “As long as we do things well, and we continue to do things well, I think it will be reflected in the share price.”

When asked whether the Chinese tea chain is redirecting its focus to international markets, including Singapore, to recover its losses, Wen stated that the overseas branches are at a different stage of growth than its Chinese counterpart, and as a result, the challenges differ.

“Now it’s more of a consolidation cycle in China, and we’re going through hyper growth overseas,” he added.

Following its relaunch in Singapore in 2024, CHAGEE has also launched in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines this year. Wen expressed his commitment to introducing the brand in other international markets in the following year.

Featured Image Credit: Vulcan Post, CHAGEE Singapore

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