Last Updated on 2023-06-29 , 8:37 am
By now, all the bookworms in Singapore have probably heard about the closing down of Hanis Cafe & Bakery at the National Library.
With it being Han’s first outlet that offered Halal fare, the cafe first opened in 2008 and has since been an iconic hangout for those near the National Library along Victoria Street.
However, the cafe announced on Saturday (24 June) that it will be closing its outlet at the National Library after 18 years.
While the cafe initially did not provide an explanation as to why it was closing down, the founder of Hanis Cafe & Bakery recently sat down with Lianhe Zaobao to explain the rationale behind this decision.
Area Brings Back Many Good Memories for the Founder
When speaking to Zaobao, the founder, Mr Han Choon Fook, mentioned that closing the cafe was a decision he made after “careful consideration”.
He added that even though there are still 16 Han’s outlets islandwide, the Hanis cafe at the National Library holds the most significance in his heart.
He then recounted how the cafe is very near where his grandparents used to live, allowing the location of the cafe to bring back many joyful memories of his childhood.
As someone who belongs to the Hainan dialect group, Mr Han added that the area near the National Library was where those from Hainan used to live.
Hence, when he first heard that there was a restaurant to be set up at the National Library back in 2005, he was extremely keen on opening an establishment there.
Mr Han recounted how he was not confident that he would offer the highest bid when he first bid on the restaurant, but the National Library told him afterwards that they would choose his company to open the restaurant after taking a variety of factors into consideration.
This was even though Mr Han’s bid was not the highest.
The same thing happened during the second and third bidding, prompting Mr Han to express his gratitude towards the National Library for giving him a chance to set up and run Hanis Cafe & Bakery.
Apart from that, Mr Han also showed the Zaobao reporter a snippet of a Chinese newspaper advertisement from when the cafe first opened in 2005.
He pointed out proudly that he was the one who came up with the advertisement slogan back then.
Closing Due to the Impact of the Pandemic and Rising Operating Costs
As for why Mr Han decided to shut down such an establishment that means so much to him, he revealed that the cafe was badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to the pandemic, the cafe could make up to $140,000 a month.
After COVID-19 started, there was a period of time when the cafe only made as little as $50,000 a month.
And even after the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions, the cafe still only made less than $80,000 per month.
Apart from that, Mr Han pointed out that the cost of operating the cafe, such as employees’ salaries, rent, electricity bills and other costs have been constantly rising.
Hence, after Mr Han’s careful consideration, he decided that closing the cafe would be the most beneficial to Han’s as a whole.
Still Hopes to Open a Restaurant One Day in the Area If Possible
When discussing his greatest regret in closing down the store at the National Library, Mr Han said that it was letting down his regular customers, especially the senior citizens who visit the cafe often.
He added that the cafe is extremely suitable for the elderly to rest or chat with others as the cafe is spacious and the library has a strong cultural atmosphere.
As for his future plans, Mr Han said that he would continue to look out for possible opportunities and hopefully open another restaurant in the area if possible.
For now, Mr Han revealed that on the last day of operations (30 June), Hanis Cafe & Bakery will be offering discounts and free gifts to express their gratitude towards their customers.
New Halal-Certified Restaurant to be Opened
When responding to queries from Shin Min, the National Library Board said that a new vendor selling halal-certified food will take over the premises.
Other food options at the National Library are also available on the third floor.
More details about the new establishment will be revealed later this year.
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