Dying out

Title: Dying out

----

This is a location sketch of a provision/sundry shop in Queenstown called 金协成 'jin xie cheng'. It closed down early 2010. (thus the sketch shows it in operation at left, and it's shuttered doors at right.) During the early days of self- governance, the HBD planned to improve housing development and Queenstown was one of the first heartlands. To make the neighbourhood a self-contained community, amenities and facilities were set up. Provision shops selling foodstuff, tailors and other shops lined the neighbourhood. What started off as an amenity became a local heritage icon in Singapore. Jin Xie Cheng is one of such shops.

However, with the introduction of supermarket chains and heartland malls that had more variety in items and prices, neighbourhood shops suffered from lack of business. Most of them closed down. Jin Xie Cheng was hit as well. But it continued to operate because of the close ties built between the regular customers and residents of the block the shop was located at. Eventually it closed down in April 2010.

It's not only happening in Queenstown, but in other parts of Singapore as well. Provision shops try to increase their resources by stocking other sundries, but their resources pale in comparison to mega chains like Daiso, where everything can be found under one roof.

However, what such chains lack is the rapport between customer and shop owner. Once, when I needed help searching for a specific colour of spray paint, the shop owner actually made the effort to dig through the dusty catalogs, helping me find what I needed despite it being close to closing time. Such acts are less likely to be seen in chain stores and mega malls. And the spray paint at the provision shop was half the price it cost at Art Friend as well...

In years to come, the number of provision shops are more likely to dwindle, as more heartlands get refurbished and new malls are set up. With a lack of business, these shops are forced to close. The friendly shop owner spirit, childhood snacks and toys disappears. So please go to your nearest provision/mama shop and buy some old school chicken biscuits, because you never know when they'll close down to make way for the next Nex mall.

Thanks for reading.

-----

092918W
Valerie Lim
DA0903