Guess who's back: Well-loved kacang puteh stall from Peace Centre spotted in Toa Payoh

Decades ago, old-school snacks like kacang puteh could easily be purchased from hawkers outside cinemas and along the streets. 

But sadly, it is now a dying trade. 

Running one of the last few kacang puteh stalls in Singapore is Amirthaalangaram Moorthy, a third-generation owner of his family business. 

His humble pushcart stall used to be located at the entrance of Peace Centre, but it was shuttered earlier this year with the building undergoing a makeover. 

However, it seems like the business is back with a bang because some sharp-eyed netizens spotted Amirthaalangaram manning a kacang puteh booth at Toa Payoh Bus Interchange. 

On the menu, cashew nuts are going for $2 while the rest of the tidbits like peanuts and chickpeas are going for $1.50. 

One netizen noted that the snacks are still packed in traditional cone-shaped rolled paper, just like the good old days. 

Speaking to AsiaOne, Amirthaalangaram confirmed that this is a permanent set-up. 

He also revealed that he relocated to Toa Payoh Bus Interchange after SBS Transit reached out to him. 

When asked how business has been so far, an enthusiastic Amirthaalangaram told us: "Good, good, good!" 

The pandemic nearly killed the business 

Amirthaalangaram's grandfather first sold kacang puteh outside Hoover Theatre in Balestier in the 1960s and when the cinema was demolished, the stall moved to its iconic location at Peace Centre. 

Amirthaalangaram himself took over the business in 2004. 

During the dreary Covid-19 days, the stall barely survived, especially since it was not allowed to operate during the circuit breaker period. 

Even when it reopened, there weren't many customers because everyone was working from home. 

Despite this, he still had to fork out $600 every month for rent. 

Things got so bad that Amirthaalangaram's father even sold a house in India to lend him money. 

However, that wasn't enough to sustain the business and eventually, Amirthaalangaram decided to move out from Peace Centre earlier in February, reported 8days. 

He was given opportunities to carry on the business there and his landlord, and later on, the consortium that bought over Peace Centre, contacted him to ask if he wished to carry on plying his trade at the premises. 

It is unclear what the result was. 

melissateo@asiaone.com