Chee Soon Juan is Opening a Café in A Mall Next to Buona Vista MRT Station

Politicians, much like teachers, seem out of place when in public.

For instance, if you’re waiting in line at a coffee shop and you hear someone ordering a kopi-o, you’d be rather shocked if it were PM Lee in his famous pink shirt.

But politicians have lives and dreams of their own outside politics too.

That’s why some of them may engage in their hobbies in their free time, while others pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.

Chee Soon Juan Opening a Café in a Mall Next to Buona Vista MRT Station

Chee Soon Juan, secretary-general of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), is opening his very own café in Singapore.

Called Orange & Teal, the café is located at Rochester Mall, which is a 5-minute walk from Buona Vista MRT Station.

The surprise announcement was made by Mr Chee himself in a Facebook post yesterday (21 Jun), attached with a sneak peek of the café’s interior, which is (expectedly) decorated with an orange and teal theme.

Mr Chee said in his post that he and his wife Huang Chih-mei have been working on this project for the past several months and that it’s finally coming to fruition.

“It’s been a long-term dream of ours to have a place where Singaporeans come together to not just have a great meal or have that heart warming cuppa, but a place where we get together with our loved ones and friends and get to know each other all over again,” he wrote.

Mr Chee wrote that he wants their café to be a place where intelligent discussion and even impassioned debate takes place—a place where the conversation’s better.

“‘Where the conversation’s even better’—I’ve got that engraved above the doorway,” he said.

Not Halal-Certified, But Won’t Be Serving Pork or Lard

Mr Chee lamented the fact that his café has not been halal-certified yet, but assured residents that they will not be serving pork, lard, or pork-related items.

“So, we hope that our Muslim friends will be able to join us,” he expressed.

The cafe will be serving wine and beer, but the glassware for alcohol will be kept separate.

Opens on 25 Jun

The café will open its doors for the first time this Friday (25 Jun) at 11:00am.

More information about the menu and prices will be provided in the coming days, Mr Chee said.

The SDP chief admits that he’s not a businessman, but said that he’s always wanted to start a social enterprise to support causes close to his heart.

“But I also recognise that in order to achieve this dream, the café must be viable as a business. This is where Mei and I hope that we’ll have your support,” he added.

“We look forward to hosting you on Fri.”

So if you fancy yourself a good cuppa of coffee, here’s where you can find Orange & Teal:

Address: #02-12 Rochester Mall, 35 Rochester Drive, Singapore 138639 (near Buona Vista MRT station)

Opening hours: 11:00am–10:00pm

Feature Image: Facebook (Chee Soon Juan 徐顺全)