Long-Standing Family Business Faces Misunderstanding
A famous oyster omelette stall run by a husband-wife team recently faced rumours of closure. After the husband’s death, the wife took time off to handle funeral arrangements.
This break led some customers to wrongly think the stall had closed for good, with one even posting online that the business had ended operations.
A social media post recently claimed that the well-known Hup Kee Fried Oyster Omelette stall at Newton Food Centre was shutting down, causing dismay among food lovers.
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When reporters visited on 26 April 2025, the stall wasn’t open, but eggs and cooking utensils remained inside.
Reporters later found out the stall hadn’t permanently closed. The owner had temporarily stopped operations to handle her husband’s funeral arrangements.
When reporters revisited last Thursday, 1 May 2025, the stall had resumed business.
Decades of Dedication to Craft
Stall owner Wang Yumei (name transliterated from Mandarin), 77, shared that she and her husband started the oyster omelette business in the 1960s, moving to Newton Food Centre in 1976 where they’ve operated ever since.
Her husband retired 10 years ago due to health issues, leaving her to handle the cooking.
“When my husband was still working, we operated from 5:30 PM until midnight. Now with just me and one helper, we close at 10 PM,” she said.
Wang explained that her husband was diagnosed with liver cancer three years ago and passed away on 21 April 2025. She took several days off to handle funeral matters, resuming business on 30 April.
Her husband’s biggest concern was her health, often reminding her to “take care of yourself, don’t work too hard.” She plans to adjust her operating hours based on her health condition.
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“I now rest on Sundays and Mondays. In the future, I might work four days and rest three, as my children worry about me overworking.”
Regarding the rumours of permanent closure of her stall, Mdm Wang was unaware of them and wanted to clarify to customers that she’s still working at the stall. She expressed gratitude for their support.
“Some customers have been coming for three generations. Some even travel all the way from Tampines to eat here. I’m really thankful to them.”
Future of the Legacy Stall
Mdm Wang arrives at the stall around 2 PM daily to prepare ingredients and works until about 10 PM.
She noted that her children have no interest in taking over the business, and she currently has no plans to sell the recipe.
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“It looks easy to outsiders, but it requires many skills. If I retire, we’ll see who wants to take over the stall.”
She revealed that she might retire in a year or two.
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