4 reasons why we don't want our mama shops to die
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This article was originally on GET.com at: 4 Reasons Why We Don’t Want Our Mama Shops To Die
As Singapore strives for progress, more and more traditional trades are becoming irrelevant and are getting stripped away from our heritage and altering our identity. Some of these mama shops are still alive today but are barely surviving.
The Straits Times recently reported that these provision shops have resorted to new ways to stay ahead of the competition, but the question is, how much longer can they keep up?
I personally love mama shops and I support them by actually putting my money where my mouth is, but sometimes I still think it's not enough.
I'm sure I'm not the only person that has fond memories of mama shops from my childhood, and I am definitely not the only person who doesn't want to see our mama shops leave our street culture for good.
Here, we at GET.com will show you 4 reasons why we don't want our mama shops to die.
1. Where else can you get a kilo of flour for $1?
I mean, I still get 1kg of all purpose flour for only $1. It's because they sell things in bulk and by weight.
And it's not like they don't have a large inventory of groceries. You can find all sorts of things at these provision shops like dried anchovies, belachan, eggs, coconut milk, mint leaves, coriander and even batteries. The list just goes on.
As much as you can find these items in your local supermarket, the prices are marked up and most of the time, based on experience, they're not actually as fresh as those that you find at mama shops.
2. They are called convenience stores for a reason
If you're anything like me and you're always missing your bus early in the morning, then you know that waiting for the next bus to arrive is a quite a drag. I usually go to the mama shop that's right behind the bus stop to either buy a drink or a snack.
And it's not just in situations like these that I go to mama shops. Sometimes when I reach my bus stop to go home at 11pm and I'm a little hungry, they're always still open. Or when there's a gathering at my place and we run out of drinks, the mama shop is always conveniently there to save the day.
3. They still sell nostalgic treats
Speaking of snacks, another reason why I will be genuinely heartbroken should mama shops cease to exist, is because of the old school treats they still sell.
Remember those pastel discs, which are actually called biscuit piring (plate biscuits in English), or tin biscuits, and potato wheels?
If you can't think of any, we've come up with a list of nostalgic snacks that you can still find today, and it's all thanks to the mama shop that still sells them!
4. They play a crucial role in our Singaporean identity
Even if you don't think the other reasons are enough to keep our mama shops around, you can't deny that they contribute a great deal to what makes our country unique.
With other traditional trades like our sidewalk cobblers and kacang puteh carts, almost completely disappeared, I still believe our mama shops have what it takes to survive the trials and tribulations of time.
Plus, the mama shop has even been officially recognised by The Singapore Heritage Society, and if that doesn't make it legit, I don't know what will!
What's in place to provide assistance?
If it's difficult for these 8 brands that have disappeared from Singapore to stay in the market, I can only imagine how difficult it is for our traditional trades to stay relevant.
But the good thing is that the HDB has extended a helping hand in the form of the Revitalisation of Shops scheme since 2007 and it has been quite successful, in my opinion. So far, because of this scheme, 4684 shops have received co-funding to upgrade their common area and for promotional activities.
Hopefully more provision shops in HDB estates will receive funding and continue to stay alive. Because to be completely honest, what is our HDB landscape without them?
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