A fried prawn noodle stall that has been in business for 32 years closed on Saturday (31 October), after customer numbers surged by 50% in its final week. Some diners brought chocolates and handwritten notes to show their appreciation.
The Chang Cheng Hokkien Mee stall, at Yu Xiang coffee shop in Block 237 Serangoon Avenue 3, was run by Wu Fushun, 64, and his wife, Lin Rongduan, 61.
Wu said that after news of the closure spread, many regulars he had not seen for years returned to support the stall. Business picked up noticeably in its final few days, and customers brought gifts including chocolates and handwritten thank you cards, leaving the couple deeply touched.
“Customer numbers jumped by 50% over the past week.”
An 11-year-old girl wrote a card especially to thank the couple.
Wu said the girl’s parents had patronised the stall before they married and often brought their daughter to eat there after starting a family. His wife treasured the card and took it home to keep.
The daughter of a regular customer in his 80s, who died a month ago, made a special trip to say goodbye, bringing a box of chocolates.
Wu said that when he first noticed the elderly customer had not visited for some time, he assumed the man was finding it difficult to get out because of his age.
“I had known him for more than 30 years. When his daughter told us the news, our eyes welled up. We had grown close over the years.”
Lin said that throughout their 32 years running the stall, the couple had worked six days a week, for more than 10 hours a day. The years of hard work had gradually taken a toll on her husband’s health. They ultimately decided to close the stall and put their health first.
