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Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- Straits Times
65-year-old vendor shares joy with thousands of free ice creams
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Ice cream vendor Cheong Peng Siong and his assistant Tang Chun Tan serving customer Ren Hui Li and her children near Clementi Mall on Aug 10. SINGAPORE – With one hand on a knife and the other steadying a slab of ice cream, Mr Cheong Peng Siong slices it into small rectangular blocks, and sandwiches them between two crisp wafers. A long queue forms near Clementi Mall on Aug 10, with people eagerly awaiting their turn to receive a free serving. The ice cream giveaway was sponsored by Income Insurance to celebrate its 55th anniversary. It saw thousands of free ice cream wafer sandwiches distributed across Singapore on Aug 9 and 10. A long queue forms near Clementi Mall on Aug 10, with people eagerly awaiting their turn to receive a free serving. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Mr Cheong was one of six ice cream vendors Income partnered with to hand out about 10,000 free servings at various locations, including Orchard, Punggol and Clementi. Over the two-day event in Clementi – that saw sunny mornings and a rainy afternoon on Aug 10 – Mr Cheong and a crew of helpers gave out around 1,800 servings of ice cream to people young and old. He removed his gloves during a break, revealing some blisters on his finger, which he said gets stiff due to the cold. Asked if it hurts, the 65-year-old said he is used to it. He remained upbeat throughout the day. 'My favourite part about this job is seeing happy customers when they receive their ice cream.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 55,000 BTO units to be launched from 2025 to 2027, will help moderate HDB resale prices: Minister Singapore First voluntary redevelopment projects for HDB flats likely to be launched in first half of 2030s Singapore Israel's plan to step up Gaza offensive dangerous and unacceptable: MFA Singapore Over 118,000 speeding violations in first half of 2025; situation shows no signs of improvement: TP Singapore Four men arrested in Bukit Timah believed to be linked to housebreaking syndicates Singapore Criminal trial of Hyflux founder Olivia Lum and five others starts on Aug 11 Singapore 'We could feel the heat from our house': Car catches fire in Bidadari area Blisters on Mr Cheong Peng Siong's finger on Aug 10. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Growing up with 16 siblings, Mr Cheong, helped with his mother's kueh business and made youtiao dough sticks, so he is no stranger to hardship. 'Back when I was a child, life wasn't easy. I liked ice cream, I did not have any opportunities to have it because we were poor' he recounted in Mandarin. Ten years ago, he was drawn to selling ice cream because it allowed him to control his own time. Mr Cheong moving his ice cream cart to a sheltered walkway due to the rain. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY On weekends, Mr Cheong usually sells 200 to 300 servings of ice cream at a corner at Tampines Bus Interchange. He runs his business daily. When asked if the job is tiring, he shook his head. 'Every job is tiring.' Mr Cheong taking a short break have his lunch duck rice and roasted meat, which he took roughly five minutes to eat. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Ms Kimberly Wong, is in her 50s, who joined the queue with her 13-year-old poodle Duchess, was handed two ice cream sandwiches – one for the dog – by Mr Cheong. 'I think it's a very nice gesture, and sometimes it's nice (for companies) to give back,' she said. Ms Kimberly Wong, who joined the queue with her 13-year-old poodle Duchess, was handed two ice cream sandwiches – one for the dog – by Mr Cheong. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY 'I saw a big group of people queuing, so I decided to join in,' said Madam Wong Mei Ngor, 82, in Mandarin. 'I'm happy with the ice cream, especially because it's free.' Madam Wong Mei Ngor receiving her free ice cream. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Besides the ice cream giveaways, Income Insurance also gave each vendor a personalised financial protection plan. Mr Cheong received a one-year SilverCare Prestige Plan, a personal accident plan for senior citizens.
Independent Singapore
04-07-2025
- Independent Singapore
Escalator breakdown at Clementi Mall causes lunchtime mayhem, raises emergency safety concerns
SINGAPORE: There was a commotion at The Clementi Mall at lunch hour on Tuesday (July 1) when one escalator was shut down without warning. Shoppers grew agitated as they could not take the escalator to go up. According to a Facebook post on Wednesday, the escalator going up from Basement 1 to Level 1 was shut down around noon on Tuesday for maintenance work, while the one going down continued to function. As foot traffic thickened, throngs of people gathered in the basement. A female security officer positioned nearby attempted to redirect them to the lift foyer. However, the two lifts operating in the basement were very slow and heavily used, which resulted in a long line of tense people. The customers, many carrying bags of food and drinks, grew increasingly frantic as time ticked past 2 pm. Several people allegedly implored the security personnel to temporarily switch off the other escalator, so that it could be utilised as a provisional stairway in both directions. See also Is Singapore's recession over? However, the security officer did not comply, referring instead to the mall guidelines and safety protocols. Her firm attitude, though professional, drew verbal abuse from a few furious people, while others accused her of lacking the initiative to do what was necessary in an emergency. As the mob became more fidgety, some shoppers supposedly informed the police that the situation had become shaky. One man was heard shouting, 'The police have been called!' as others marched back and forth between the crammed lift area and the jammed escalators. The tension subsided only when the maintenance crew finished their job and switched on the upward escalator, nearly 30 minutes after the trouble started. People clapped and heaved sighs of relief as they could once more move about freely. One bystander called the episode 'completely unnecessary,' doubting the mall's emergency preparation methods. 'If this were a fire or real emergency, we would've all been stuck. How is it acceptable to trap people in a basement with no viable exit?' he asked. Another added: 'It's the first day of the second half of the year, and this has already soured it for me. We weren't asking for much—just some basic flexibility and common sense.' Calls are mounting for The Clementi Mall management to explain not only why one of the escalators couldn't be provisionally used as a stairway but also how they will prevent similar incidents in the future.
Business Times
08-06-2025
- Business
- Business Times
BHG downsizes Bugis Junction flagship outlet as department stores face shaky future
[SINGAPORE] Department store BHG is downsizing its flagship Bugis Junction outlet – its last remaining permanent store – from three to two levels. This follows the March closure of its Junction 8 store, which will be replaced by home furnishings brand Nitori. Nitori will also take over the third-floor space BHG used to occupy at Bugis Junction. The scaling down of BHG's Bugis Junction outlet comes on the back of other store closures. Besides Junction 8, it has shuttered four stores here since 2022, in Raffles City Shopping Centre, Jurong Point, Clementi Mall and Lot One. It follows a series of other closures of large department stores here. 'BHG remains a tenant at Bugis Junction on Levels 1 and 2, and we continue to work closely with them to introduce new brands,' said a spokesperson for Bugis Junction. BHG declined comment. In February, BHG opened a pop-up store at The Centrepoint, which will operate until August. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up BHG Singapore began in 1994 as Seiyu Wing On Department Store. In 2007, it was acquired by Beijing Hualian Group, one of China's largest commercial chain retailers, and has operated under the brand name BHG for the past 18 years. Homemaker Brenda Thio, 53, said: 'It is sad that these stores that have been around for so long are either gone or downsized.' But she said she mainly shops online now. 'I hardly shop at BHG and have bought only pillows, bolsters or bed sheets there once every few years.' A broader trend of decline Large department stores here and worldwide have faced decline owing to increasing competition from online shopping, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Japanese chain Isetan will shutter its Tampines Mall outlet in November, after about 30 years. At its 2013 peak, it had six stores in Singapore. Its last closure was Isetan Katong in Parkway Parade in 2022. After closing the Tampines store, it will be left with two outlets – Isetan Scotts and Isetan Serangoon Central. Home-grown department store OG closed its Orchard Point store in 2022, after 18 years. Its remaining stores are in People's Park and Albert Street. Metro closed its flagship Centrepoint store in 2019 after five years, with two remaining stores at Paragon and Causeway Point. And two department store chains which used to be household names have called it quits. Robinsons, which still has an online store, shut its last physical store at Raffles City Shopping Centre in 2021, while John Little exited the local retail scene in 2017, after closing its Plaza Singapura outlet. Market observers said that with e-commerce offering a greater variety of products, competitive pricing and the convenience of home delivery, people are increasingly less inclined to visit large department stores. 'Today's shoppers increasingly seek personalised, curated and experiential retail experiences,' said Leung Sau Yee, senior lecturer at Singapore Polytechnic's School of Business. 'Traditional department stores, with their generalist, one-size-fits-all model, often fall short of these expectations.' Many department stores also rely heavily on mall operators to drive engagement, she said. Without distinctive products, brand curation or compelling in-store experiences, they struggle to offer shoppers a strong reason to return. Department stores have traditionally been anchor tenants in malls. But operating large-scale stores in prime retail locations, such as Bugis Junction, means incurring high rental, staff and inventory costs. As footfall declines, it becomes increasingly difficult to justify maintaining such expansive physical spaces from a profitability standpoint, experts said. Associate Professor Lau Kong Cheen, head of the Singapore University of Social Sciences' marketing programme, said department stores have been supplanted by large malls that offer a curated mix of specialised outlets. In short, malls are mega department stores. 'Malls house dedicated retailers for categories such as footwear, cosmetics, skincare, fashion apparel, accessories, jewellery and homeware,' he said. 'Each speciality store provides a focused brand experience that resonates more with today's discerning shoppers.' Professor Lawrence Loh, from NUS Business School's department of strategy and policy, said: 'Department stores cannot continue to be more of the same, providing huge varieties for all customers. If they are everything to everybody, they may end up as nothing to nobody.' From product-centric to experience-centric What could make the department store relevant again in a tough market? Prof Loh suggested merging the physical store with a digital one to offer holistic shopping experiences that are not found online. 'The 'touch-and-feel' in shopping is still valuable, but stores must give sufficient incentives to prevent the undesirable consumer behaviour of testing at stores and then going online to purchase elsewhere at lower prices,' he said. 'Department stores face the real challenge of being free showrooms for the low-cost e-commerce stores.' Other experts agree on the need to invest in omnichannel integration with a seamless blend of online and offline experiences, such as allowing customers to purchase online and collect in-store, or checking stock levels in real time, to compete with pure e-commerce players. Ethan Hsu, head of retail at real estate consultancy Knight Frank Singapore, said that technology such as personalised apps, fitting rooms that use augmented reality and artificial intelligence-driven inventory can improve efficiency and customer experience. They can also cater to modern preferences like sustainability, he said. In addition, he suggested community marketing activities that can build loyalty and differentiate stores from online retailers. These include supporting local charities, or hosting community events and cultural celebrations. Prof Lau suggested that stores frequently introduce thematic changes – for instance, cultural themes from different countries – to their product ranges. 'Just like museums and art galleries – they change their display by curating new exhibits to draw domestic visitors to make repeat visits,' he said. Exclusive collaborations with brands that have a limited presence in Singapore – including emerging international brands and local designers – could help, Prof Lau added. And stores can transform themselves into lifestyle destinations by integrating cafes with speciality in-house brews and food, and branded dining ware sold in-store, he said. Offering experiences such as personal colour analysis, cooking or baking workshops and food-and-wine pairings can make shopping more engaging, and cannot be replicated by online retailers, said Leung. She added: 'Ultimately, for department stores to thrive, they must shift from being product-centric to experience-centric, staying attuned to evolving consumer values and behaviours.' THE STRAITS TIMES
