The owners of Zhong Xing Foochow Fish Balls & Lor Mee in Bukit Merah closed the stall for good on Aug. 25, due to their old age and an impending doubling in rent.

Shin Min Daily News reported that the Block 148 Silat Avenue stall closed on Sunday, ending an 82-year-old family-run business.

Wang Xueying (tansliteration), 68, told the Chinese media outlet that the landlord of the coffee shop would be increasing the rent from more than S$2,000 to more than S$6,000 after renovations in September.

"The people who support us here are all old people and regular customers. I don't want to raise the price," she said.

"We are old, and it's time to retire. I am reluctant, but there is nothing I can do. Thank you very much for your support over the years."

Started back in 1942

Wang shared that the business was set up back in 1942 after her parents made the journey from Fuzhou, China to Singapore.

The pair set up shop at China Street, selling authentic Fuzhou fish balls and lor mee.

As her father's business became more successful, Wang began to help out at the store after she graduated from school.

Her older brother, Yuanjie, helped run the stall after their father passed away in 1982.

On busy days, Wang told Shin Min Daily News that she would go through 100kg of fish and there would be long queues outside their stall.

She also shared that the business had relocated thrice, from China Street to Tiong Bahru in 1994 and then to Silat Avenue in 2010.

For decades, Wang, her brother and her husband each had their own tasks when it came to preparing the food.

Wang and her husband would prepare the ingredients and cook the noodles, while her brother was responsible for making fish balls.

Hawker life can be tough

The Chinese news outlet reported that Wang has three grown children, with her eldest son and daughter being professionals, while her youngest is in university.

She shared that while her youngest son had expressed interest in taking over the stall, she would not let him.

"He is just a student at the National University of Singapore, and being a hawker is too hard," she said.

Only two stalls staying on

Due to the rent increase, only two stalls have been confirmed to remain open at the coffee shop.

Shin Min Daily News reported that the owner of the Thai stall said her rent would increase from S$2,800 to S$6,500 after the renovations in September and October.

Despite the huge increase, she would stay on in the coffee shop as she could not find another location.

The owner of the mixed rice shop shared that his rent also increased to more than S$6,000 from more than S$2,000, but he will not move.

"The current market situation is like this, and there is nothing we can do about it," he told the Chinese news outlet.

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