When one thinks of a stereotypical Subang shopping crowd, this might come to mind.
Subang Jaya is a housing area where people are down-to-earth and generally live a thrifty lifestyle.
For the longest time, the Subang crowd struggles with the stigma that they are perhaps not as glamorous compared to their counterparts living in Damansara condos or KL area. Back then, it was a common sight to see aunties wearing shorts and slippers, speaking loudly in Cantonese, cruising around Giant supermarkets.
But that was before.
The opening of Empire Shopping Gallery, is a sign that the Subang crowd has actually grown to become… more stylo-milo and upmarket.
Empire Shopping Gallery is a brand new contemporary boutique-style shopping mall located in SS16 section of Subang Jaya.
The mall is located right behind Subang Parade and Wisma Consplant. Unlike the old buildings in its vicinity, the look and feel of Empire is refreshing with contemporary architectural details befitting an upcoming mall the neighbourhood style-makers would soon to call home. Even the skylight ceiling boosts mega style with splashes of red and stylish Chinese dynasty-inspired design for an event recently.
Don’t let the name fool you though. Despite being called “Empire”, the size of the mall itself is quite manageable. It’s large without being overly maze-like and complicated like Berjaya Times Square.
I was at the Grand Opening of Empire Shopping Gallery last Friday. The event was graced by some familiar faces I know in the local entertainment circles.
Former Miss Malaysia Elaine Daly was there.
It’s quite difficult for me to see Elaine in person again after seeing her pose in Singapore FHM like this.
Another former Miss Malaysia, Deborah Henry was there too.
Apparently she took time off from dancing and singing “you can pay your road tax and your car insurance online”.
Rounding up the celebrity presence are Bernie Chan, Atilia, Will Quah and Amber Chia.
Yes, even Amber Chia could not resist bringing her baby bump to the Grand Opening.
To be honest, she looks positively glowing. During the Grand Opening, we were treated to a fashion show by some of the mall’s tenants.
When the child models did their strut down the catwalk, I could see Amber’s face lit up. It’s like she really can’t wait to be a mom.
When introducing his mall, the managing director was upbeat about the prospect.
Apparently, Empire Shopping Gallery is a mixed development for the entire project called Empire Subang. The others are Empire Office Tower, Empire Hotel and Empire SoHo.
The shopping mall itself has already achieved over 90% tenancy, attracting premium lifestyle-brands like Guess, Fitness First Platinum, Ed Hardy, Italiannies, Jaya Grocer and TANGS.
TANGS in Subang? You bet.
Even in its home country of Singapore, TANGS wasn’t built in residential areas. It’s a sign that the Subang crowd is more affluent now compared to ten years ago.
Perhaps in times to come, your stereotypical Subang crowd will no longer look like this.
But more like this.
WAH.
Well, Subang’s not really some quiet town or whatever it is. It is quite hip and happening, if you consider the vicinities of the Sunway and Monash university, and also the Sunway Lagoon/Pyramid and Subang Parade. Like the other people in PJ and Kelana Jaya, I must say that the people in Subang are quite sophisicated too.
I used to work there for like 3 months in the Subang Industrial Area, and that place there is quiet and a bit isolated. I had plans of visiting more of the Subang area, but the stretch near USJ is killing me as the traffic jam is serious every early mornings.
I ended up visiting more of Mutiara Damansara and Bandar Utama because it’s nearer to my home. However, if I’m living in PJ, I would consider Subang Jaya as another place for me to hang out too.
you dunno anything dun simply dapao la… bahahaha
finally be in the top 10 after 3 years of reading kennysia.com
Deborah Henry looks a bit anorexic…
Don’t recall her looking like that last time..
Check out the shop called LEX at the top floor. It’s IT shop concept is really cool. Like it very much!
kenny, u look so muscular in the photo!
Doraemon should replace Elaine Daly. lol!
Nice adv written. Thumb’s up! I have always wanted to check out this new mall. perhaps very soon.
Does Kenny looks beefed up or just too much beef?
Subang always been hip n happenin…
Tangs!!! Nice!
ahhh.. another new shopping mall to go to the next time I go back to KL!
Hey Kenny!I saw you in Empire last 2 weeks @ Fitness First!!
Kenny, you looks good! 🙂
Empire is definitely a very nice place to hang out. Come during weekends and see what kind of crowd you will get 🙂 And no, it’s not those “aunties” crowd that Im talking about 🙂
Hi Kenny,
Hope you are fine. Was wondering how is the Pores No More to-go set working on you?
Cheers!
your nipples look good, have u been working out?
I have lived in Subang Jaya all my life and I prefer it to remain a simple town. The colleges and universities are over-crowding us enough. If I want to go shopping for up-scale trends, we know where to go.
On the surface, the development may seem fancy and cool but actually living with it everyday is a headache and nerve-wrecking. We will soon see a rise in hyper-tension cases.
We have not even addressed the growing issues of snatch-thefts, burglaries and house break-ins effectively.
My family has moved to stay in my late-grandma’s house in PJ OldTown for the time being and renting out our Subang house to college students. It’s a nice place to profit but not so nice to live anymore, sadly. I miss my childhood.
A shopping experience for an emperor!
Bunch of BS from a kuching kid to write about this. And what celebrities were he talking about? Those were small bulbs la and ppl don’t give jack shit about them la. Pls don’t flatter them or else their heads gonna grow bigger.
Elaine’s photo in that mag is just damn hot…
I have always like reading your blog but this time I really felt let down by what you wrote. Do you actually know anyone from Subang? You should have done more research on the stereotypical Subang ppl before writing this.
I’ve always loved reading your posts Kenny, but I felt very offended after reading this one. You really should get your facts right by doing some research about Subang Jaya and what it really is before posting up this entry. If anything, Subang has always been regarded as one of the most expensive places to live in, as seen in the prices of properties here which are extremely high. And about the aunties speaking loudly in Cantonese? If anything, Subang crowd is one of the trendiest because of the high student population from private colleges like Taylors, Sunway and Monash. The way you put it, it’s as if Subang is some underdevloped area if not for Empire. What about Sunway Pyramid, hello?
Please get your facts right next time.
Thanks for sharing, as always. Gosh, I haven’t been to Subang since I can’t remember when!?! Perhaps 1997 when I was working on another retail mall there?! The Empire looks interesting on the external facade but looks pretty cheap on the inside (from photos anyway), I guess I really need to find a reason to get myself there to see for myself.
By the way, I’m a KL girl…and I’m always dressed in slippers more often than not! I think it is the person not the area & the people that define a characteristic, but I know where you’re coming from. Imagine all the Kepong people in tudungs or all the Masjid Jamek people wearing tight bikini style tops. Wouldn’t that be interesting?
Most Subang people speak English , Not Cantonese . Even the aunties . Subang people are very similar with PJ people .
Cheers mate
Clement , from PJ .
Hi Kenny,
I find this post offending, though i know you are entitled to your opinions but staying here for almost 15 years plus i find the town being quiet has its plus points and not as backward as you painted it to be. I wish you did not have to paint as what you have mentioned in your post. I am quite sure you would find it offending if someone said the same of your hometown.
And i agree with clement, we speak English as well as Cantonese, BM and a host of other languages.
Kenny, do some research before u write ur stuff! Subang is more Hokkien than Cantonese overall. There is also a significant banana population in Subang. Subang people are definitely not thrifty, and the cost of foodstuff is one the highest in Malaysia. This town for sure has lost its peace but i like how it blossomed at the same time, at the expense of the traffic :/
I wonder how on earth for the sarawakian write something on Subang jaya?U wrote as if u re the local here???!!
It’s funny for you all arrogant Subang to proclaimed something differently, look at the reviews man! One say this, one say that – it tells how inconsistent is Subang residents perhaps?
Look at Amber Chia’s heels! She’s pregnant and yet she’s strutting in those inch-high heels; totally irresponsible as a mom! Fail!
Buddy,
Subang is not as ulu as you think…
bet you haven’t met the hot girls from Subang. Will all the hot girls from Subang pls stand up and show give him a good tour.
Lol. Comment of the month?
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@Kenny Sia,
Even you are being paid by the DEVELOPER to write this post doesn’t mean that you can just write without a proper research!
With you so-called network of friends, i’m sure you can find a few people from SJ to at least vet first.
And what do you expect people to wear while shopping at Giant Hypermarket? Jimmy Choo’s? PRADA? GUCCI? you must be kidding!
And most importantly, SJ is not like what you have posted. EVEN before EMPIRE is opened here. SJ is a uptrend place for god’s sake.
Amber looks as stunning as ever, even with her baby bump! In fact, she looks much more attractive now as compared to before she was pregnant! 🙂
The last picture is cool.
If all Subang folks will be like this… wow!
The place look very nice… one more place to “lepak” in Klang Valley area.
Subang is not like what you describe laa, you should ask atilia who was an ex student of SRK Subang Jaya. Some of well known people who are still living or used to live in subang jaya are dato Julie Sudiro, Dato’ Lat, the late robert lum, Dato Syed zainal (ceo proton), Dato sri Sazaly (ceo celcom), actress Marlia Musa & countless more. why don’t you visit this portal http://www.gangofsubang.com which was created by those who were raised there & read their intersting childhood experience growing up in subang.
woh, I’m not from Subang but I know that I see BMWs, Merz, and other RM100,000 & above cars every day at Subang.
Yeah i thought i saw kenny too peeping into the GX class.. i thought it was an impersonator.
think he was talking about Klang la, But klang is loud aunties that yell in hokkien. I find it odd that a kuching guy can say such a thing about subang. me being from Klang and living there all my life, subang has always been pretty up market as far back as i can remember. just as comparable to Damansara or PJ.
If he said shit about my klang i will fly to kuching and kick the shit out of him.
Yo Kenny, u got the facts wrong ler…Subang Jaya is one of the upmarket place lah beside Taman Tun or Bandar Utama. The residents here are very well educated. Not Kepong or Jinjang lah, but even Kepong also catching up now with Desa Parkcity.
Dude, come out from your shell. you been living in Kuching ur whole life. I have friends from Kuching as well and I know exactly how many shopping complexes, hospitals and hotels you have there. If you haven’t been to subang, pls do spend some time there. If you do not know, most subang kids are well to do if not rich. Every single person who live in there can speak English, Mandarin & Cantonese regardless their age. And most of our residents are very educated. Do you know how many tuition centre, language centre, music centre etc in Subang? Parents with no money can’t afford to send their kids to learn so many things ok? 1 double storey house in subang can cost more than a bungalow in Kuching anytime. A piece of empty land without a house built on it in USJ 5 can cost up to 5million. And do you know subang aunties are so well known bcos they frequent our famous Dr. ranjit the skin specialist for botox so regularly, they made him so rich! if no money who gonna pay for your botox.
Subang jaya is not what u think it is Kenny,it’s not backwards,nor in the shadow of Damansara or KL folks ok….so do ur reseach first….and do you think Subang people only speak cantonese ? Everyday i go out to college in SS15,i hear Tamil,Hokkien,Malay,Mandarin being used rudely as well….Subang is much more developed compared to that village you call Kuching
That’s funny, since I’ve heard another opinion that Subang Jaya is more vibrant than Petaling Jaya now, especially with its high number of working people who are at the peak of their earning power, while many in Petaling Jaya are retirees.
Well I think there’ some truth to that, though with the traffic jams, it’s best you live and work in Subang Jaya/USJ and you’ll have a good life.
The only thing that came to my mind whenever anyone talks about Subang, is the insane traffic jam that’s just as bad as those in KL. i live in Section 17 which’s very near to Subang, but i totally hated going there.
Anyways, to be honest, i’ve never found anyone of your posts to be annoying before, no matter what others say, until this one. i’ve been here for about 3 years & never once had anyone, native KL people or not, fed me the impression of Subang being as backward as how you’ve painted it. it may’ve been quiet, & even backward once, but i think that’s more than 20 years ago instead of any time recent.
I can’t believe Amber Chia was wearing heels despite being pregnant … is she prioritizing her glam and fashion over the safety of her baby?
I see Juice Works in the background!!! (im working at Juice Works btw) HAhaa! Was being random. =)
yeah man. what do u expect aunties to wear to Giant Hypermarket?
Am a subang resident since i was born. Used to love living here but ever since the colleges boom, development of USJ and Sunway, traffic is super crazy. Have since moved further into Putra Heights.
Anyway, not all subang residents are rich! There are middle class people here for goodness sakes. Rich ppl stay at SS19 Bungalows perhaps but majority are staying in Link houses..-_-”
Nobody wanted to stay in Subang 20-30 years ago. It was a residential area/suburb like away from the city. Glad my parents bought their first house here..property prices were cheap back then ..now it’s totally going out of control.
Subang has everything for me but we still go 1U/Midvalley for shopping ..i hate Sunway pyramid so much bcos of the jam. and Empire is so boring already…:p there’s not much there other than restaurants and places to drink. Prefer good old Subang Parade lo..But Subang Parade is also impossible to go to already due to the mushrooming of all the condos opposite it! Developers never thought to expand the road system..just build build and cause this massive jam..idiotsss…
my 2 cents..
I haven’t been here for ages but after reading this post i just want to say…funny la. The way you portray Subang…like it’s Kepong or Jinjang! As pointed out by many ppl, Subang is on the equal standard as PJ and Damansara… got colleges, uni, private sch, international sch, big malls and gyms bigger than Kuching’s biggest. Next time b4 writing a post like this, pls get your facts right first la.
Hi, u should not stereotype Subang Jaya residents. Do you actually stay in Subang Jaya? If you have nothing nice to say please don’t say anything at all. Look at yourself first before you comment or write anything offensive. This post of yours reveal the ugly side of your personality. DO not stereotype or categorize people in groups that do not suit your taste. How do you feel when people state that all Kuching/Sarawakian males are fat, overweight, balding uncle who tried to be witty and funny but failed miserably?
Please mind your language and words for your future posts.
I didn’t really care for you before, but now I rather dislike you.
my i have contact number Gucci at Empire Shopping Mall Subang Jaya.
Tq