Most of Balestier's shops — over 40 at last count — are devoted to selling light fixtures and other interior decoration items. Unless you want to surprise the folks back home with a lovely Singaporean toilet bowl, it's probably best to head elsewhere — both Novena and Toa Payoh have large shopping centers around the MRT stations.
Square 2
Atop the MRT station, Square 2 is consciously modeled on the hip malls of Seoul, packed with 500 small boutiques selling Korean fashions, electronics, accessories and food.
Velocity
Formerly Novena Square, this is by far Novena's largest shopping mall. The main theme is higher-end branded sporting goods, including a large California Fitness gym, but there is also a decent selection of restaurants, a Kopitiam food court and a Cold Storage supermarket.