Homegrown store Tom & Stefanie struggling after 31 years, owners' daughter, 21, wants to save business

Once a household name, homegrown retailer and family-run children's store Tom & Stefanie now has only four stores left in Singapore amid declining sales.

The owners' daughter, Stefanie Chua, took to social media in a bid to keep the business afloat.

In a TikTok video on Nov. 14, she said that her family business "needs help" and that it's up to her to "do something about it".

@tomnstefanie Follow along to see if I can save my family business 💛 #fyp #toys #sgparents #supportlocalsg ♬ original sound - tomnstefanie

31-year business

Speaking to Mothership, the 21-year-old shared that she is currently a Year 1 student at the Singapore Management University, studying Business.

In the video, Chua said that the business "isn't doing great", and that despite the closure of five outlets over the years, her parents have been struggling to keep the remaining stores alive.

Chua's parents opened Tom & Stefanie 31 years ago in 1994, in hopes of being "the place where families shop and create memories".

You might wonder how the store's name came about — when the shop first opened, it sold many character toys.

Her parents had wanted to use a name kids would be familiar with, and landed with Tom from "Tom & Jerry", Chua explained.

Stefanie was chosen as the spelling felt unique and special. In fact, Chua was named after the shop, and not the other way around, like most might believe.

Stiff competition

Over the years, the business has been hit hard by a variety of factors — decreasing footfall, rising rental and labour costs, and difficulties in hiring staff.

As consumers turned towards e-commerce platforms and online shopping, Chua said her parents, who have been focused on running physical stores and "preserving that in-person customer experience", were unable to keep up.

Cross-border e-commerce has also been a tough competitor.

She explained that Tom & Stefanie buys its stock from official distributors.

However, overseas or individual sellers are able to list similar branded toys online and ship them into Singapore at "prices that undercut recommended retail prices".

"It’s very hard for my parents to tell which listings are genuine or meet local standards, and small local shops like ours are squeezed between higher costs and aggressive online pricing."

Struggling to keep up with the times

Chua shared that her parents have attempted to revitalise the business and continue drawing in customers by offering discounts and promotions and maintaining affordable prices.

While they have made an effort to establish a social media presence, Chua noted that they are not digitally savvy.

"My dear parents are struggling to keep up with the times," she said in the TikTok video.

"But no one is coming in," she lamented.

Tom & Stefanie's flagship store at West Mall closed in 2023.

Its remaining stores are located at Eastpoint Mall, PLQ Mall, Woodlands Civic Centre, and Hillion Mall.

Chua, who is the oldest child and has two younger brothers, has taken it upon herself to help save her parent's business "before it disappears".

Chua previously graduated from Ngee Ann Polytechnic with a Business Studies Diploma and took a gap year before university to work in JPMorgan Chase.

While she is currently a full-time student, she said any free time she has is dedicated to the business.

"Any free moment I have, I spend at the store or thinking about how to revitalise the business. I don’t want to wait until it’s too late and regret not trying harder."

Recently, Chua has taken over the business's social media accounts, where she is sharing more about their story and the changes they plan to implement.

Her latest video documenting Tom & Stefanie's struggles has since garnered over 180,000 views in two days.

"My hope is to ease my parents’ burden and modernise the brand so it can survive into the next chapter, instead of fading away with this generation. [...]

[They] are in their mid-50s and no longer have the energy to run around between multiple stores every day. That’s why I want to help carry the weight they’ve carried alone for three decades."

Netizens give suggestions

Users on TikTok contributed suggestions for improvement in the comments section, with one proposing that the stores sell toys that "would entice adults," such as blind box figurines.

Others left words of encouragement.

Tom & Stefanie sells toys, children's clothes and baby products. You can find them at these locations:

• Woodlands Civic Center, 900 South Woodlands Drive, Singapore 730900 #02-03
• Hillion Mall, 17 Petir Road, Singapore 678278 #B1-42/43
• Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ) Mall, 10 Paya Lebar Road, Singapore 409057 #03-18
• Eastpoint Mall, 3 Simei Street 6, Singapore 528833 #02-25

Top photos via tomnstefanie/TikTok and courtesy of Stefanie Chua