Joo Chiat Kopitiam Stalls Move Out As Coffeeshop Closes On 30 Aug
Disclaimer: Mr & Mrs Mohgan moved from the kopitiam in 2018. It is currently operating at Tin Yeang Restaurant at 300 Joo Chiat Road.
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Joo Chiat is famous for its quaint and picture-perfect shophouses steeped in heritage. Many also visit the area to patronise the neighbourhood’s many famous eateries.
Sadly, Poh Ho Restaurant – a kopitiam which has been around Joo Chiat for 40 years – will be shuttering up.
Source: Lemi
Shin Min Daily News reports that Poh Ho Restaurant will be closing on 30 Aug as its owners have decided to retire.
Joo Chiat kopitiam closes after 40 years
After 40 years, Poh Ho Restaurant at 7 Crane Road is set to close its doors in end-August.
The coffee shop is run by three brothers, while the property is owned by their mother.
The eldest brother, 65-year-old Mr Zhao, said that they decided to retire after having a discussion with the family.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
He told Shin Min Daily News that his father opened the kopitiam back in 1982.
‘Poh Ho’ is his great-grandfather’s name and Mr Zhao’s father had chosen the name to commemorate him.
Mr Zhao explained that his siblings and mother decided to close the shop as there was no one to take over the business.
Their children were unwilling to do so as the work can be tiring and challenging.
Many regular customers have said that they cannot bear to see the kopitiam close. However, the owners are standing by their decision.
Economic rice stall relocates
The closure means that the coffee shop’s hawkers will have to vacate the place that many of them have worked in for 20 to 30 years.
According to Shin Min Daily News, there were four stalls at the kopitiam.
Two of them – a prata stall and a Malay food stall – have already moved out, leaving Mei Wei (Economic Bee Hoon and) Curry Vegetable Rice and Hock Thye Noodle House.
Source: Google Maps
Mr Zhao said the economic rice stall has been in the coffee shop for nearly three decades and business has always thrived.
Its 80-year-old stall owner, Madam Huang, said she has been fielding many questions about where the stall will be moving to.
Regulars would be glad to know that the stall has made plans to relocate to the nearby Old Airport Road Food Centre.
Previously home to Mr and Mrs Mohgan Prata
Previously, Poh Ho Restaurant was also home to the popular prata stall, Mr and Mrs Mohgan’s Super Crispy Prata.
Source: Facebook
When they moved in 2018, the Crane Road stall was sold to the couple’s family friend, Ms Jamaldeen Yosliya, who renamed it Famous Crispy Prata Indian Muslim Food, reported 8 DAYS.
Mr Mohgan’s stall assistant of six years also continued to work at the location for a short while.
The Mohgans then set up shop at Tin Yeang Restaurant at 300 Joo Chiat Road, a larger coffee shop within walking distance.
Unfortunately, Mr Mohgan passed away earlier this year. But his legacy lives on as his wife and two other staff continue to run the Joo Chiat prata stall.
Will be remembered for the good times and food
Running a coffee shop is no easy task. The manual labour and time involved can be challenging, especially as one grows older.
Thus, it is understandable that the owners would want to shutter up after many years of arduous work.
While many are sad to see the place go, it will always be remembered for all the good times and good food it brought many Singaporeans over the years.
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Featured image adapted from Lemi and Facebook.
