Street Corner Heritage Galleries Scheme

For those who might not be too familiar or heard about Street Corner Heritage Galleries previously. What is the Street Corner Heritage Galleries Scheme all about?

The Street Corner Heritage Galleries scheme by the National Heritage Board (NHB) started off in Balestier in 2020, followed by Kampong Gelam in 2021, Little India in 2022 and Chinatown in 2022. The Street Corner Heritage Galleries scheme is an excellent way to celebrate and document the rich experiences of heritage businesses, this scheme aims to foster a deeper appreciation for heritage in everyday spaces.

Under this scheme, NHB works closely with interested owners of heritage businesses with at least 30 years of history to co-create “mini-museums” to showcase the history, heritage, culture and stories of their businesses and trades, through the displays of historical documents, photographs and artefacts.

A brief history of Katong-Joo Chiat district

You would probably know Katong-Joo Chiat from pictures of the colourful pre-war Peranakan shophouses, that attracts not only locals to head there for a photo shoot. Our international friends have also make their way into Katong-Joo Chiat district for its charm, beauty and colourful blend of old and new, from its colourful pre-war shophouses in the neighbourhood, the diverse communities co-existing with modern shopping malls and hip cafes. 

There are rich history, heritage and culture elements in Katong-Joo Chiat, waiting for you to discover them behind those heritage businesses in Katong-Joo Chiat. Each has their own story of resilience, innovation and intergenerational piety. What are some of the stories and insights into heritage businesses in this vibrant Katong-Joo Chiat precinct? What are some of the lesser-known anecdotes behind those classic delicacies to inspirational tales of intergenerational support and cooperation? 

Why not take a walk and explore Street Corner Heritage Galleries: Katong-Joo Chiat, discover and find out more about them?

Six Participating Businesses for Street Corner Heritage Galleries: Katong-Joo Chiat

NHB is launching Street Corner Heritage Galleries: Katong-Joo Chiat with six participating businesses: 

• Kway Guan Huat Joo Chiat Popiah
• Joo Chiat Fei Fei Wanton Noodle House
• Kim Choo Kueh Chang
• Guan Hoe Soon Restaurant
• Sin Heng Claypot Bak Koot Teh
• D’Bun

Our SG Heritage Plan 2.0 – Empowering the Community 

This Street Corner Heritage Galleries: Katong-Joo Chiat is an expansion of the scheme, as part of the NHB’s ongoing efforts under the Our SG Heritage Plan 2.0, to empower more Singaporeans to get involved with the celebration of our heritage and support heritage businesses and crafts. The Street Corner Heritage Galleries scheme provides curatorial support and assistance in terms of research and content development, and funding for the fabrication of showcases. 

NHB will also work closely with the heritage businesses to develop programmes that complement the showcases, and provide opportunities for them to participate in key NHB events to increase awareness of their businesses and offerings. 

What can the public look forward to? From guided trails and workshops that will showcase the Street Corner Heritage Galleries: Katong-Joo Chiat during NHB’s inaugural Heritage Activation Nodes (HAN), that will be launched in Katong-Joo Chiat district and various precincts from this year as part of NHB Our SG Heritage Plan 2.0. The HAN provides opportunities for the community to develop and implement projects that will increase the number of heritage touchpoint in the heartlands and celebrate the distinctive heritage of their neighbourhoods. 

Mr Gerald Wee, Director, Education and Community Outreach, NHB said: “We have been encouraged by the success of the pilot Street Corner Heritage Galleries scheme over the past three years. Feedback from the business owners has been positive and we hope this expansion of the scheme will allow more heritage businesses to showcase their stories and heritage, and to benefit from increased public awareness and support.”

A short tour of Street Corner Heritage Galleries: Katong-Joo Chiat

During the media session, we took a short tour of the Street Corner Heritage Galleries: Katong-Joo Chiat district. Starting off at Guan Hoe Soon Restaurant, next was Kway Guan Huat Joo Chiat Popiah, Joo Chiat Fei Fei Wanton Noodle House and Kim Choo Kueh Chang.

Although it was a short session at each location due to time constraints, we heard stories from the  people behind the those heritage businesses. Although I had explored Katong-Joo Chiat quite a fair bit over the years for heritage, history and arts related events and activities, as well as doing photography shoots at various locations in the iconic Katong-Joo Chiat, hanging out at the Katong Square Lifestyle & Vintage Market by The Retro Factory, there were still many stories that I am hearing it for the first time about Katong-Joo Chiat district. 

As I don’t stay in the east side of Singapore, and I am not too knowledgable about Peranakan cuisine, I didn’t know about the history and legacy of Guan Hoe Soon Restaurant until that day when I stepped into the premises for the start of the media event for Street Corner Heritage Galleries: Katong-Joo Chiat. I would love to visit and try their authentic Peranakan cuisine after trying out some of their delicious kueh and light bites that they prepared for the media event. 

Next up was Kway Guan Huat Joo Chiat Popiah. I heard about them previously, now I got to visit their store and hearing them share their history, stories and journeys. I love to eat popiah, I am going to check out their website, see which popiah skin or popiah sets to order, and plan a popiah eating gathering.

Visiting Kim Choo Kueh Chang at Joo Chiat Place, the original location and also its main factory, it was not the same as their East Coast Branch where I visited a few times over the years whenever there were events held in the Katong-Joo Chiat district. We were given a tour of their factory during our media tour, hearing them share about KIm Choo Kueh Chang history, stories and journeys. 

On a personal note, it was good to meet Mr Lim of Joo Chiat Fei Fei Wanton Noodle House again, I met him a few years back, thanks to Victor, a senior in Scouting, also a heritage enthusiast that I met at Katong Square Lifestyle & Vintage Market, for introducing him. 

The four Street Corner Heritage Galleries in Katong-Joo Chiat district that we visited, all had their own unique history, stories and journeys, from one generation to the next. I would like to invite you to explore and check them out during your exploration of Street Corner Heritage Galleries: Katong-Joo Chiat, whereby you can learn more about their origins, how they continued to thrive and grow over the years.

For more information on Street Corner Heritage Galleries: Katong-Joo Chiat

If you like to know more information on Street Corner Heritage Galleries: Katong-Joo Chiat, please visit https://go.gov.sg/schgkatongjoochiat 

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Starting a business is not easy, maintaining and sustaining a business is even much tougher than starting. Doing it for more than 30 years, that’s no mean feat at all. NHB’s Street Corner Heritage Galleries scheme identify local businesses with at least 30 years of history in selected precincts to co-create “mini museums”. This is a win-win situation for all parties, helping and growing local community heritage, history and culture, revitalising the local neighbourhood through local street/community heritage spaces. For the local business owners, all these would help to instil a stronger sense of ownership and legacy passed down from their forefathers, passing them on to the future generations.

Street Corner Heritage Galleries kickstarted from 10th March 2020 with five local businesses within the Balestier precinct. They are:

Leong Fatt Tau Sar Piah

639 Balestier Road

Singapore 329922

Loy Kee Best Chicken Rice

342 Balestier Road

Singapore 329774

Sweetlands Confectionary and Bakery

10 Kim Keat Lane

Singapore 328867

Lam Yeo Coffee Powder Factory

328 Balestier Road

Singapore 329760

Lim Kay Khee Optical and Contact Lens Centre

330 Balestier Road

Singapore 329762

I would like to thank, Mr Alvin Tan, Deputy Chief Executive (Policy & Community), National Heritage Board, for the invitation to join their media session, we visited Leong Fatt Tau San Piah and Loy Kee Best Chicken Rice. At the front of their shop, there is a cabinet showcasing their respective artefacts, documents, photographs, history and heritage for customers/visitors to their shop. Hearing their heart warming stories and history of their business, we were able to understand more in-depth of their heritage showcase that meant something special to them.

From their founding stories, struggles, challenges over the decades running and maintaining their business, a legacy as well, there were also stories of regular customers returning back to them for a taste of the food that they grew up eating and enjoying, along with their children. Such intangible heartwarming real life stories are priceless, they are part of Singapore’s intangible cultural heritage that we need to protect, preserve, pay it forward and pass it on, to our future generations.

Have a chat with them if the opportunity arises, I reckon they would more than happy to share more about their rich history and stories. All of our local street corner heritage deserves more recognition and awareness in a fast changing international cosmopolitan Singapore. 

Street corner heritage galleries of Singapore, represent an integral part of #OurSGHeritage, expanding into the local communities and beyond the museums. From my own documentation and coverage of old places, trade skills, NHB street corner heritage galleries are really wonderful initiatives to expand local community history, heritage and culture, supporting them through their stories, preserving, allowing them to continue their legacy, to pay it forward and pass it on to the next few generations of Singapore.

How can I plan a heritage exploration trail of Street Corner Heritage Galleries in the Balestier precinct?

This is my personal humble suggestion, start off at Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall at 12 Tai Gin Road, get to know more about this heritage institution in the Balestier precinct, followed by learning more about the Balestier Precinct. Next up, go on the Balestier Heritage Trail, remember to visit the Street Corner Heritage Galleries in this precinct! That’s probably going to be a bit of walking, do wear comfortable shoes and drink lots of water. Save your tummy space for tasting local delights along your Balestier Heritage Trail exploration!   

NHB Street Corner Heritage Galleries kickstarted in the Balestier precinct in March 2020, this scheme will soon expand into four other precincts – Kampong Gelam, Little India, Kreta Ayer/Chinatown and Geylang Serai by 2022. I look forward to the announcements of the street corner heritage galleries in the other precincts!

Our Singapore heritage has now gone beyond the museums, into the local communities, for some of us, they have been an integral part of our life growing up in Singapore. We all can play a part, no matter how big or small, to help preserve, support, pay it forward and pass it on, our rich local Singapore heritage, history and culture, for our future generations of Singapore and beyond.

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