Is opening next to 99 Speedmart or Mr DIY good for your shop?

Opening next to 99 Speedmart or Mr DIY is usually a plus, because both bring frequent visits from households in the area. The benefit is real for trades that people add to a quick errand: drinks, bakeries, quick food, pharmacies, laundry and phone repair. It is weaker if you overlap with their goods, if parking is tight, or if the landlord charges more than the extra footfall is worth.

Anchor tenants are neighbours that pull people to a row on their own. In Malaysian shoplot hubs the usual anchors are banks, busy mamak restaurants, 99 Speedmart, Mr DIY, coffee chains and pharmacies. Landlords know this: a Cheras Jaya corner ground floor at RM 13,000 a month was advertised as "prefer pharmacy, Family Mart, coffee franchise, mamak", minimum 2 to 3 years.

The two chains bring different kinds of traffic:

The Edge reported that 99 Speedmart usually opens new stores where there are at least 1,500 households, and Apex Research (via The Star, October 2026) said each store is designed to serve 1,500 to 2,000 households. So when a 99 Speedmart opens on a row, it is also a sign the chain has checked there are enough homes nearby. MIDF said Mr DIY's site selection is "increasingly disciplined, focused on high-ROE locations", which is similar evidence that the area has spending power.

• Drinks and snacks: bubble tea, coffee, juice, kuih and bakery counters catch people before or after shopping.
• Pharmacy and health: a natural pairing with grocery runs.
• Quick food: chicken rice, noodles, economy rice and fast takeaway.
• Services: laundry, key cutting, phone repair, tailoring, print and courier.
• Kids and family: toy shops, book shops and kids' haircuts fit families from Mr DIY.

• Overlapping retail: a small hardware, household or grocery shop will compete head on, usually on price, and lose.
• Destination dining: a fine-dining restaurant does not gain from a 5-minute grocery crowd.
• Trades needing long parking: salons and clinics need patients to park for an hour. If chain customers fill every bay, your clients circle and leave.
• Late-night businesses: if the anchor closes earlier, it does not help your peak hours.

It can. Landlords often use "same row as 99 Speedmart" or "beside Mr DIY" as a selling point, much like SS15 listings that advertise "same row as Ambank". Before paying a premium:

1. Count visits into the anchor for 15 minutes at 11am, 6pm and on Saturday.
2. Watch where those customers go next. Do they walk past your unit, or straight back to their cars?
3. Compare rent per sq ft with similar units on the same row without the anchor next door.
4. Check our data for the hub on the shop rent index or the hub page, for example Bandar Puteri Puchong or Kepong Baru.

A corner lot near an anchor can be the best of both: anchor footfall plus a second signage face.

• Confirm how long the anchor's own tenancy runs; if it leaves, your footfall drops.
• Watch the loading bay and delivery lorries: a grocery anchor gets frequent deliveries that can block your frontage.
• Look at bin storage and back lane cleanliness for F&B.
• Ask whether the landlord has given the anchor exclusivity on certain goods.
• Check parking turnover at your peak hours, not just theirs.

If you want help finding a ground-floor unit near a strong anchor, see our ground-floor shops or contact us.

Written by Tok Ginstee (REN 37505), CID Realtors Sdn Bhd (E (1) 1855). Updated November 2026.