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Pasar @ MyQueenstown #2 - the Provisions Shop Golden Couple

By my queenstown on Sunday, June 12, 2011 with 2 comments

Mr Chen, 63, together with his wife Mdm Chan, has been running their dried product store at #01-16 Meiling Market. Mr and Mrs Chen lives in Queenstown, so travelling time is not a major problem for them to open their store at 6am in the morning.


Having running their business for over 30 years in the same market, the couple has more or less gathered their fair share of loyal customers and has already become common faces among market goers.


Mr and Mrs Chen 

After Mr Chen arrives at his stall at 6am in the morning, he starts his day by shifting and unwrapping the big packets of dried products out for display. Mrs Chen will also help in the arranging and moving of the bulky packets. They have a wide range of dried products such as different coloured beans, spices and a huge range of bottled sauces.


Two of his provisions shops at the market


After a day of hectic work especially during weekend mornings, Mr Chen would close his stall at around 2pm. However, work does not end there as the couple still has to visit their usual supplies in Pasir Panjang and occasionally other smaller supplies around Singapore. They will be shopping for quality stocks to top up their depleting ones, as well as new products in the local market.


Mr Chen explained that they have to shop regularly and purchase in small quantities because they need to ensure that the products are of high quality and far from their expiry dates when they resell them.


Starting out as a dried goods supplier assistant at a very young age, Mr Chen knows the tricks and insights to the trade. Colour and texture of the dried goods can determine the quality of the products and they are all secrets of the trade.

Bottles of Sauces at his provisions shop in Mei Chin Market

Red beans, green beans, yellow beans, ...

On a final note, Mr Chen has no regrets entering the business and is glad that to have the support of his wife. He firmly believes that the services that he offers can be differentiated from those of major supermarkets that we so often see. The difference is that when shopping in a supermarket, one can choose but cannot ask.

Category: Pasar , People , recent

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2 comments:

Jonathan said...
June 12, 2011 at 8:46 PM

I've been to their stall for as long as i've lived at mei ling street! :)

Unknown said...
November 27, 2012 at 2:18 AM

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