Sungei Road Flea Market hawkers wind up their business today.
From hawking their wares at Sungei Road flea market to operating lock-up stalls at hawker centres, these hawkers seemed off to a fresh start.
However, for the group of pioneering hawkers who have moved on to their new trading locations between a month and two weeks ago, things have kicked off to a rough start.
Poor Sales At Hawker Centres
Bleak sales at hawker centres have led to a discouraging start for many of the first-generation hawkers. Mr Tang Kong Yuen, one of the 11 first-generation hawkers has moved to the Chinatown Market for two weeks but has yet to make a single sale.
“Back at the Sungei Road flea market, I could earn about $50 to $60 a day without even batting an eyelid.”
“Now, I cannot even earn enough for my daily cup of coffee,” said the 90-year old whose wares are gemstones, power tools and old mobile phone amongst others.
The 11 original permit holders have qualified for a rent-free stall for a year.
Many of these hawkers, Mr Tang included, has forked out money to print name cards with their new addresses as well as for display cabinets and signages.
Mr Tang himself has spent $450 on the display cabinet and refuses to spend more doing up the place to attract customers.
He has the mind to call it a day at the end of the month and return the stall to the Housing and Development Board.
Many of the hawkers have also reported poor sales, and have been returning to the Thieves’ Market to peddle their wares in the final days of the market.
History Of Sungei Road Flea
Also known as Thieves Market, Sungei Road flea is the oldest and largest flea market in Singapore. Its name was coined from the flea’s early days as a place to trade stolen, smuggled or illegal goods.
It is a rent-free hawking area, and in the recent years hawkers and patrons of the flea now barter over used as well as new wares that range from antiques to household items.
However, the land that hosts the market has been marked for redevelopment by the government and in February, it was announced that the market will be closed for good today (June 10).
Lost Gems Of Sungei Road
In case you did you not manage to head down for a final glimpse before its closure, here are some of the items that are, or were sold over at Sungei Road Flea Market.
Cameras
If you’re a fan of antique cameras, there’s a wide array of cameras on display for you to pick and choose from. However, do check the condition of the camera before making your purchase!
Statues
There are tons of statues and other quirky ornaments and statues for you to make your selection from. Something for your grandmother perhaps?
Shoes and … shower heads?
The flea market sells practically anything and everything you can possibly imagine in that small stretch of land, and each stall usually sells an assortment of goods. Walk around and see what catches your eye!
Whether you’re an antique collector or if you simply want to check this gem, head over today before it is gone forever.
