'40% of what it was before': Elderly owners may shutter Toa Payoh furniture shop due to poor businessPHOTO: Shin Min Daily NewsAfter 40 years, the elderly couple behind TPY 177 Furniture are considering throwing in the towel.
"We work nearly 365 days a year opening from 8am to 10pm and rest for just four days. We also import goods from overseas," said Miaozhu, reminiscing on a time back in the year 2000 when business was at its peak."My husband had a stroke before, which affected his health. Business was also impacted because of the pandemic and we couldn't operate. At that time we had to rely solely on customers' orders through the phone," Miaozhu recalled.
She shared that customers who purchase more than $500 worth of products will be given a cushion or some other small item for free. On what they'd be doing after their retirement, Miaozhu shared that they may go travelling or do some volunteer work.An employee who has worked at the shop for 36 years told Shin Min how she is saddened by the possibility of the shop closing.