Affordable Art in Singapore: Open Door Store, the hidden creative space championing local artists

A new wave of home-grown art and design stores is bringing creativity to everyday life. In this five-part series, we speak to the founders behind these spaces on how they’re making art more accessible, engaging and alive.

“Creating opportunities for everyone to engage with creativity”

Tucked away in a quiet industrial estate on Playfair Road, Open Door Store is the brainchild of Debbie Lee, 34, and Goh Zhong Ming, 39.

After years of running Konstrukt Laboratories, which specialised in print production for independent artists, the duo noticed a gap – there were few spaces dedicated to showcasing works from Singapore’s creative community.

This inspired the launch of Open Door Store in 2023, featuring many pieces from Konstrukt Laboratories’ own network of artists and collaborators.

Popular items include the Pochai Necklace ($30), inspired by po chai pills; Robert the Corporate Frog plushie ($35); and quirky collectibles like Poopeemaster stickers ($2-$3) and keychains ($4.50), as well as Feelings Club stickers ($2-$5) and cards ($3-$5).

Apparel such as the New World Plaza Yaohan T-shirt ($50) also reflects the store’s nostalgic design sensibility.

One of their biggest challenges was reaching the right audience: helping people discover the store and appreciate the wealth of local talent it represents, while balancing creativity with the realities of running a business.

“We overcame this by leaning on our community – collaborating with local designers and artists, hosting events, and creating experiences that drew people in not just to shop, but to connect and have fun. This support network was invaluable in helping the store grow,” say Debbie and Zhong Ming.

Open Door Store is unbiased – we welcome everyone, because we firmly believe that everyone deserves a space to showcase their talent. Each person brings their own unique voice and creative identity to the space.

We love having spontaneous chats with customers – and seeing them connect with each other too, whether it’s over a piece in the shop, a favourite artist, or just life in general. We hope Open Door Store feels like an unhurried, welcoming space, to hold space for these moments, beyond just another place to shop.

We work closely with local designers, artists and makers like New World Plaza and Cruddy by showcasing their products, collaborating on events, and promoting their brand to gain more awareness. It’s all about supporting each other and building a creative community where everyone can thrive.

Through pop-ups, events, workshops, and collaborations with local makers, visitors can explore creativity in many forms – discovering new products, learning new skills, or simply finding inspiration in the space and the people around them. Most recently, Open Door Store held its first international pop-up at the Taipei Art Book Fair in November.

Accessible art means creating opportunities for everyone to engage with creativity – whether or not they have formal training or experience. It’s about making art something that people can see, touch and enjoy in everyday life, rather than something distant or intimidating.

Open Door Store is at #01-16B Kapo Factory Building, 80 Playfair Road.