Businesses in Chinatown struggle with rental hikes
Raise food prices and risk driving the customers away.
Absorb the higher rental and risk not earning enough to make ends meet.
It's a quandary business owners often find themselves in and, unfortunately, not all can weather ballooning rentals.
One such owner is Mr Huang Yong Hui.
The 73-year-old owner of Lucky Lucky Catering & Restaurant, which sells traditional Hokkien fare, will be closing his eatery on Mosque Street for good on March 23.
Ownership of the shophouse changed hands last November and the new landlord raised the rent for Mr Huang's shop space to $10,000 a month.
Lucky Lucky Catering & Restaurant has been in business on Mosque Street for more than 30 years.
"During the pandemic, the then owner lowered the monthly rent to $6,000. Although it was very hard at the time, we managed to survive," Mr Huang told Lianhe Zaobao.
"We have many elderly regular customers, and they are very concerned about the price of food. I don’t want to raise the prices."
Over at Sago Street, Madam Liew's Bistro & Bar closed and reverted to private kitchen mode after the rent was increased by $5,000 last October.
Tai Thong Cake Shop, which had been selling Cantonese-style pastries for more than 70 years, shuttered last October.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
