PUBLISHED ONSeptember 15, 2025 4:22 AMBYKoh Xing YingA beloved coffee hawker, known for serving traditional coffee at his stall in Chinatown, died on Wednesday (Sept 10) at the age of 80.
For more than 60 years, Tan Chew Ning operated his coffee stall — a craft he began after learning to brew coffee from his father at the age of 13.
According to Shin Min Daily News, Tan began learning to make coffee from his father after dropping out of school as a teenager, and later went on to run his own stall at Chinatown Complex Food Centre. The stall was named Tai Hwa Coffee Stall.
In an interview with Shin Min, Tan's 50-year-old son said his grandfather had opened a coffee shop in the Pagoda Street area, which was taken back in 1993.
After that, Tan worked at various coffee stalls before eventually partnering with a friend to take over the current stall.
Despite the departure of his business partner and the passing of his wife in 2018, Tan continued operating the stall.
He eventually shortened its opening hours from 17 to 11 hours every day.
Tan's son said that his father believed in using traditional methods to make coffee.
"My father was quite stubborn and always insisted on using the traditional method of making coffee, including boiling water over a gas stove. He also loved to make 'teh tarik' (pulled tea). As a result, he lost some customers due to his slow pace."
Even while battling cancer, Tan continued to work at his stall.
His son shared that Tan had started experiencing stomach pain and constipation more than a year ago.
Medical examinations later revealed a tumour in his colon. He underwent surgery and more than six months of chemotherapy, reported Shin Min Daily News.
Although he was initially declared cancer-free, he suffered a relapse.
Undeterred by his condition, Tan continued working until the very end.
"He was unwell on Wednesday and stayed home that afternoon. He suddenly felt unwell and collapsed at home before being taken to the hospital, where he later passed away," said Tan's son.
The son also added that his 42-year-old wife is willing to carry on the business after his father's death.
In a post shared on the Facebook group Hawkers United – Dabao 2020, a photo showing a notice of Tan's death pasted outside his stall was shared.
In the comments section, several netizens expressed their condolences.
One user noted that he had always enjoyed Tan's traditional coffee-making methods, while another expressed shock at the news, having just bought coffee from the stall a few weeks ago.
Others shared their appreciation for his many years of dedicated work.
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xingying.koh@asiaone.com
