'We can't increase prices any further': Yishun Western food stall Shaker Lakers to close due to rising food costs

[UPDATE: Feb 3]

Good news for fans of Shaker Lakers, the Western food stall at Yishun Park Hawker Centre will not be gone for good.

Speaking to AsiaOne on Friday (Feb 3), co-owner Gillian Pua shared that they will continue to operate, albeit at a different location.

Gillian and Shaker's chef-business partner Michael Quinn will be taking over the spot left vacant by The Terminal cafe, located within the Airbus Asia Training Centre at Seletar Aerospace Park.

The new cafe concept is expected to officially open sometime in March, said Gillian. In the meantime, business will still continue at Yishun Park Hawker Centre, with some possible changes to the operating hours, she added.

Rising food costs have claimed yet another hawker business — this time, it's Western food stall Shaker Lakers.

The stall, located in Yishun Park Hawker Centre, will be closing for good in February next year, according to a Facebook post by its owners last Saturday (Dec 3).

They also explained why the stall had been shuttered for the past two weeks.

"We are sorry about the closure for the last (two) weeks as we are taking this time to re-evaluate the business operation.

"With a heavy heart, we have decided to cease operations."

Shaker Lakers reopened on Wednesday (Dec 7), with their last day of operation on Feb 25, 2023.

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The stall was started in 2019 by Singaporean Gillian Pua and Irishman Michael Quinn, both of whom had previously worked at Western restaurant Marche.

Gillian, 46, shared how a marked rise in food costs is to blame for the impending closure, in an interview with HungryGoWhere published on Tuesday.

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Prices for ingredients had risen by 50 per cent to 200 per cent, said Gillian.

She added that vendors were also notifying them of price hikes "almost on a weekly basis" and that the situation became "very unmanageable".

To cope with the rising costs, they had to adjust prices of some items on their menu.

"The current pricing is what the customer can accept. We can't increase any further. If we increase the prices further, we will end up losing our customers," Gillian was quoted by HungryGoWhere as saying.

Online, news of the closure has been met with sadness from regular patrons.

Many praised the quality of food served, especially for their burgers, and expressed regret in seeing them close.

Wrote one: "Best carbonara, best burger and even best hotdog in Singapore. Always fresh, fair priced always tasty. I am sad."

Fans of their food will also be disappointed to know that the closure appears to be a permanent one.

According to HungryGoWhere, both co-owners intend to spend more time with their respective families.

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candicecai@asiaone.com