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Kong Kee mutton soup, a stall that has been operating for 35 years -- it moved to its current location opposite City Square Mall not long ago -- will be closed permanently by the end of March 2023, according to Shin Min Daily News.
The owners of the stall, Xie Sanmei (hanyu pinyin) and her husband, decided to retire because they can no longer physically handle the long duration and intensity of the hawker job at 66 years old.
For more than 10 years, the elderly couple has kept the price of the mutton soup to S$5 per bowl, even after ingredients became more expensive due to inflation.
The stall is one of the popular food stalls located in the foodie Jalan Besar district.
After their retirement, Xie and her husband plan to visit and tour their ancestral hometown, the Chinese city of Fuqing, located in Fujian province.
Long hours & intensive workload
Speaking to Shin Min, Xie shared that they would only rest on Sundays every week, and her husband would arrive at the stall as early as 5am every day to prepare the dishes.
"Usually, my husband would arrive at the stall at 5am and begin boiling the soup so that we can start selling it at 10am," added Xie.
From Monday to Saturday, the stall would operate until 8:30pm so that office workers who get off late could still have the chance to taste the dishes.
However, the long hours and intensive workload over the years eventually proved too much for the couple to handle, which prompted their decision to retire.
"My husband and I can no longer stand for a long period of time. Otherwise, we would feel pain in our back and our feet. Three of my fingers also feel numbed occasionally because I have been holding the knife for too long," explained Xie.
In fact, the stall owner has to wear knee compression aids every day to alleviate the pain, reported Shin Min.
No intention to pass on to children or sell recipe
Xie also told Shin Min that she and her husband do not intend to pass the business to their four children as they already have their own careers, and the hawker job is backbreaking.
As for selling the recipe, Xie's husband said the couple would not be considering such an option as they don't have the energy to deal with the formalities.
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Top images via Shin Min Daily News & Google Maps