Jalan Besar turtle soup stall closing down after 60 years, owner done with 14-hour days on his feet

Very Lucky Turtle Soup, a hawker stall located at Berseh Food Centre in Jalan Besar, will be closing down by the end of August 2025.

The decision came after the stall owner, Bobby Chu, 65, was rushed to the hospital in April 2025 after feeling dizzy and weakness in his legs while operating his stall, reported Shin Min Daily News.

Shin Min reported that it understands that the brand was founded by Chu’s parents in the 1960s.

The current stall helmed by Chu has been in business since 1981, and it serves over 20 kinds of dishes, including crocodile meat soup and claypot rice.

Worked 14 hours daily while standing

Speaking to Shin Min, Chu shared that life was tough for his parents when they started the turtle soup brand in the 1960s.

Since young, Chu has been helping out at the stall.

Although he left the stall for a few months to learn how to prepare claypot rice, he eventually decided to take over the family business.

Every day, Chu said he would open his stall for business at around 9am and would only return home at 11pm.

He would stand at his stall for 14 hours daily.

Hospitalised for 3 weeks in Apr. 2025

On Apr. 18, Chu suddenly felt unwell after opening his stall for business, reported Shin Min.

After being rushed to the hospital, the doctor told him that he had contracted a contagious virus and that his leg suffered from poor blood circulation due to his long working hours.

The doctor also warned Chu that if he were to continue standing for so long at his stall, he might face the prospect of becoming disabled.

Eventually, Chu was hospitalised for three weeks, and he took a few weeks off after being discharged from the hospital.

Believing that his health was his priority, Chu later decided that he would close down his stall by the end of August 2025.

"My mother told me that if I want to close it down, I should not feel pity about it. I also do not want to continue working until I have to rely on a walking stick to go around. I hope I can get some good rest after retiring," added Chu.

Willing to sell secret recipes for S$40,000

Chu told Shin Min that he has two sons, who work as a manager and a pork supplier, respectively.

Although they had helped out at his stall previously for a short period of time and were keen to take over his stall, Chu said he turned down their offers.

"Practising this trade requires you to have determination. Those who are not interested will find it difficult to do it in the long run," shared Chu.

Chu added that he would be returning his stall to the authorities after its closure.

He is also willing to sell his secret recipes for S$40,000 if anyone is keen to learn his trade.

"If they have the heart to learn, they can learn [the trade] within around a week or a few weeks. I will teach the other party everything I know. I will also visit the stall in the future and see if there is anything that can be improved on," said Chu.

Top images via Google Maps & Shin Min Daily News