Final curtain call: Pin Pin Piau Kay & Co provision store in Tiong Bahru to close after 85 years

In the neighbourhood of Tiong Bahru, between the multitude of cafes and bakeries, sits a store that's not like the others.

Long-time residents would have no problems identifying this old-school provision store.

Pin Pin Piau Kay & Co has been in operation since 1938, but come this Friday (March 31), it will close its doors for good.

Third-generation owner Rodney Goh confirmed this on his personal Facebook account yesterday (March 28).

Having to say goodbye after being around for over eight decades can't be easy, but Rodney chose to approach this business closure with a positive attitude.

The 68-year-old invited patrons and friends alike to the store for a celebration on its final day of operations.

Come between 10am and 12pm, and you can enjoy plenty of snacks and drinks.

You'll be able to take in the surroundings one final time and, of course, snap lots of pictures for memories.

Understandably, Rodney seemed emotional when announcing the news.

In the comments section, he mentioned how the business has survived a number of significant historical events — from the Japanese Occupation to the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, the SARS outbreak to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Through all that, he said, Pin Pin Piau Kay & Co "came out stronger than ever".

Facebook users chimed in to send Rodney their heartwarming tributes.

Rodney started helming the provision store at the age of 28, and Pin Pin Piau Kay & Co hit its prime in the 1980s, when it saw about 200 customers daily, as reported by The Straits Times.

Interestingly enough, this isn't the first time the store has announced a closure.

In October 2021, the Facebook community group Tiong Bahru Estate uploaded an image of a banner outside the store announcing its closure.

It revealed that Nov 7, 2021 would be the store's last day of operations.

Back then, there was already a hint that the store "will be back", but this time, it seems things are different.

Rodney made it clear in his Facebook post that March 31, 2023 will be the "final curtain call".

AsiaOne has reached out to Rodney for more information, but he has yet to respond at time of publication.

Pin Pin Piau Kay & Co
Address: 71 Seng Poh Rd, #01-33, Singapore 160071
Opening hours: 8am to 6.30pm

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amierul@asiaone.com

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