Chinatown CD shop Tang Nan Ah, known for its old-school Chinese hits, to shut down
Less than a week after the iconic magazine store in Holland Village shutters, another store selling physical media will be closing for good.
A CD shop in Chinatown, known for its old-school Chinese hits, will shut down on 11 May.
This will bring its more than 70 years of history to an end.
Boss of Chinatown CD shop will shut down & retire
The impending closure of Tang Nan Ah Company (东南亚唱片公司) was revealed to Shin Min Daily News by its boss, named only as Mr Guo (transliterated from Mandarin).
The 72-year-old said he plans to shutter the shop on 11 May and retire.
As his children have their own jobs and careers, they have no intention of taking over the business, he added.
After working all year round without a break for decades, he may travel to neighbouring countries every month to enjoy his retirement.
Chinatown CD shop lasted 70 years before being shut down
Tang Nan Ah has more than 70 years of history and has been operating in the basement of People’s Park Centre for 30 years.
It sells CDs and cassette tapes of mainly old-school Chinese hits from the 1970s to the early 2000s, many of which were first released on vinyl.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
Mr Guo said he had been helping out at the shop, which was his father’s, since he was 21.
Through the years, he’d witnessed the glory days of physical media, but also its decline.
‘Everyone listens to music on their phones nowadays’: Boss
Mr Guo lamented that everyone listens to music on their phones nowadays and young people rarely visit CD stores.
As a result, few CD players are sold outside and they’re no longer installed in cars, he said.
It has also become difficult for the shop to order goods with the decline of major record labels like Rock Records.
While there used to be more than 10 shops in Chinatown, there are not many left now, he added.
He depends on regular customers
These days, Mr Guo depends on regular customers in their 40s and 50s who like to listen to physical media, he said.
Most of his stock, such as Teochew opera albums, has already been sold. He has less than 20% of inventory left, he added.
After he closes, there will be very few stores selling Teochew opera albums, and he doesn’t know where his customers will go to find them.
Boss wants to leave quietly
When regular customers heard of the closure, some of them came to the shop to take photos with Mr Guo.
They also informed others over social media.
Though the owner said he’s reluctant to part with them, everything comes to an end someday, he said, adding:
I hope to wind up the business in a low-profile manner and leave quietly.
Also read: Foo Leong Records In Chinatown Is Closing By 30 Nov, Now Sells Vinyls & CDs For $2 Each
Foo Leong Records In Chinatown Is Closing By 30 Nov, Now Sells Vinyls & CDs For $2 Each
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Featured image adapted from TheSmartLocal and Shin Min Daily News.
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