'Thank you for the memories': Popular bar Jekyll & Hyde to close after a decade, last day in December
PHOTO: Instagram/Jekyllandhyde.sg
PUBLISHED ONOctober 03, 2023 9:30 AMByMelissa Teo After 10 years of crafting unique tipples and scrumptious plates of grub, Jekyll & Hyde will be shuttering for good.
They announced the sad news in an Instagram post on Sept 28.
The gastrobar shared that its last day of operations will be on Dec 31, so their regulars and fans still have time to pay them a visit.
"Thank you for the memories. Please come by to support! We would love to see you," they wrote.
Jekyll & Hyde is one of Singapore's pioneer cocktail bars which started out as a nail salon and watering hole along Tras Street.
When the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in 2020, they shuttered momentarily before reopening a year later at Neil Road with a new food menu.
Dubbed "elevated Singapore soul food", this consisted of a mishmash of reimagined local hawker and supper grub.
The establishment also just celebrated their 10th anniversary a few weeks back in August with cocktails and special bottle deals.
Financial setbacks and other issues
In response to AsiaOne's queries, the owner of Jekyll & Hyde, Chua Ee Chien, shared that since its reopening, the establishment has been facing financial setbacks.
"Our initial optimism surrounding the reopening was quickly met with challenges we hadn’t anticipated. The increased mobility, with more people traveling, coupled with a flurry of new establishments opening, put us in a challenging position," Ee Chien revealed.
They aren't the only ones who have been struggling to bring in business — their neighbours are too.
"The recent weeks have unfortunately been subdued. There’s a palpable downturn not just with us, but the entire street seems to be grappling with a similar plight. It’s concerning that with a team larger than we had pre-pandemic, our revenues are significantly lower than our earnings before Covid-19."
And unfortunately, Jekyll & Hyde are not planning on looking for a better location and may not be reopening ever again.
"At this juncture, we don’t foresee reopening or undergoing a rebranding. It’s a hard decision, but we’re exploring opportunities for someone else to potentially take over the reins. Our decision was further solidified when we found ourselves in the difficult position of having to close graftDAGGER, our neighboring concept, just a couple of months prior," said Ee Chien.
Jekyll & Hyde isn't the only F&B spot that has closed after a decade.
Just recently on Sept 25, Wheeler's Yard, a well-loved cafe, announced its closure.
Its last day of service was on Sept 30.
Address: 74 Neil Road, Singapore 088839
Opening hours: Tuesdays to Wednesdays 6pm to 11pm, Friday and Saturdays 5pm to 2am, closed on Sundays and Mondays
ALSO READ: Popular Old Tiong Bahru Bak Kut Teh to close shop after 30 years
melissateo@asiaone.com
No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.