Things to do at People’s Park Centre

It’s the lesser-known sibling of People’s Park Complex, but there’s more to People’s Park Centre than just its travel agencies and Ri Ri Hong Mala at its nearby food centre.

As we discovered, this is a place for hobbyists to pick up craft materials as well as old-school Chinese pop. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Read on for 11 things to do at People’s Park Centre.

1. Relax with free Netflix & games at Hao Yi Tou foot reflexology

Foot reflexology is great for de-stressing, but Hao Yi Tou takes it a step further with their added entertainment service. You’ll find multiple sockets and charging cables next to each chair to keep your devices juiced up. And if you’re tired of scrolling through IG and TikTok yet again, they even provide an iPad for each customer

That’s right, the iPad comes preloaded with Netflix and a couple of games too, so you can catch up on the latest K-dramas.

Rates:
Foot reflexology: From $45/hour
Body massage: From $58/hour

Unit: #B1-11
Opening hours: 10am-10pm, Daily
Contact: 8652 6719 

2. Enjoy Cantonese desserts from $2.50 at Tong Shui Desserts

There’s a whole hawker centre attached to People’s Park Centre, so we don’t blame you if you have trouble finding Tong Shui Desserts. It’s tucked away on the 2nd floor within the building itself.

The name might be a giveaway but in case you’re not familiar with the Cantonese dialect, this place is known for its Chinese dessert soups that start from an affordable price of $2.50. This includes crowd favourites such as tau suan, cheng teng, and green bean soup.

If you’re in need of something refreshing to beat the heat, they also sell cold desserts like ice kacang ($3.50) and Hong Kong mango sago with pomelo ($4).

Unit: #02-58
Opening hours: 11am-8.30pm, Daily
Contact: 6532 0552

3. Purchase affordable cordyceps & other herbs at Sinchong TCM

For your TCM needs, look no further than Sinchong. The TCM store and clinic sells a wide range of pre-packed medicinal herbs and ingredients to improve your immunity. These handy sachets just need to be dropped into hot water to instantly create an herbal drink you can sip on throughout the day.

Sinchong is also known as a cordyceps specialist, importing the ingredient from Tibet – an area known for its high quality cordyceps. You can add this fungus to boiled soups or grind them into powder to be mixed into coffee. It’s said that the benefits of doing so are a boost in strength and energy, as well as better kidney function.

If you need assistance in picking out herbs, it’s recommended that you get a consultation at Sinchong’s TCM clinic first. They have physicians with more than 20 years of experience who also offer additional services like acupuncture, cupping, and tuina.

Unit: #02-77
Opening hours: 11am-10pm, Daily
Contact: 6538 5584 

4. Figure out auspicious marriage dates with BB at Fengshui World

We all know rolling a pineapple into your new home or office is customary for good luck and fortune. But that’s not all you can do to increase prosperity in your living or working space. Let the folks at Fengshui World sort out the nitty gritty for you with their consultations.

Their team of masters can advise on furniture placement for your home and even what names would be most auspicious for your newborn. If you and BB have already applied for a BTO, these masters can even select the best dates to hold your wedding.

The purple mineral Amethyst is commonly associated with wealth, prosperity, and elegance. It’s also pretty.

Those already savvy with fengshui and just want to add more huat to their personal spaces can check out the variety of lucky charms for sale. These include zodiac bracelets, crystals, water features, and plants that are said to bring good vibes.

Unit: #02-75A
Opening hours: 10am-10pm, Daily
Contact: 8798 0186

5. Find rare & vintage coins at William Ng Collections

If you’ve ever found an odd looking coin or banknote, hold on to it, because it might be worth something at William Ng Collections. William collects old currency from all over Asia from countries like Brunei, Malaysia, and China.

Crack open old piggy banks to check if you have these notes on hand: $500 note from the 1988 Singapore ship series or the $100 Malaya British Borneo note from 1953. Both are worth more than $3,000 each. 

Unit: #03-73
Opening hours: 11am-6pm, Daily
Contact: 6532 2010

6. Get your beading necessities at Beads & Crafts

If you’re looking for a new creative outlet, try your hand at beading to make accessories like earrings, bracelets, and necklaces. You can pick up all the materials you need to get started at Beads & Crafts. The small shop is covered wall-to-wall in beads and crafting supplies at affordable prices. Find beads as cheap as $1 per packet and tools like pliers from $5.80 each.

If you’re just starting out and need a guiding hand, the shop runs beading classes to teach you the basics. Or if you just don’t have the time, you can also commission them for bead products to be made.

Unit: #02-59
Opening hours: 11am-7pm, Daily
Contact: 6438 3305

7. Purchase cheap fabric for DIY projects at Sing Mui Heng Craft

Get inspired for your next sewing project while walking through the aisles of fabric rolls at Sing Mui Heng Craft. They have a wide variety of prints that include cartoon characters, florals, and even edgier graphics. They’ve also got sewing machines and all sorts of accessories like buttons and zippers to complete your hand sewn projects.

If you’re tackling creator’s block and don’t know where to start, go to the staff for answers. They’ll be able to steer you in the right direction on what materials you’ll need to see your creative vision come to fruition. Keep an eye out for their sewing workshops as well, where they drop higher level techniques that’ll give your projects a more professional touch.

Unit: #03-32
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9am-7pm | Sat 10.30am-7pm (Closed on Sun & PH)
Contact: 6533 2445 

8. Learn cute nail art with at The Pink Room International Academy

If you’ve ever wanted to upgrade from solid colours to intricate designs on your nails, then sign up for a course at The Pink Room International Academy. It’s one of the few places in Singapore that offer a diploma in professional nail technology. This means learning how to prep and care for nails, as well as working with acrylics and gels for nail extensions.

Slay your way to becoming a certified nail tech.

With day, night, and weekend classes to choose from, you’ll be able to get certified in as quickly as 3 months – if you pass with flying colours of course. They also have workshops available for those who want to learn specific skills like 3D nail art. The academy also has an in-house store that sells nail tech essentials such as nail forms and paintbrushes for those who aspire to start their own studio.

Unit: #07-08
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11.30am-9.30pm | Sat 11.30am-6.pm | (Closed on Sundays & PH)
Contact: 6220 1592

9. Get balayage and hair care at Jin Hair & Beauty

Taking care of your hair’s health is important if you don’t want large flakes peeling from your scalp. If that’s an issue you’re facing, leave it to the mother-daughter duo at Jin Hair & Beauty to fix you right up. They offer a variety of services including scalp treatment (from $90) and hydrating hair treatment ($85) that’ll tackle dandruff problems at their root cause.

Balayage highlights.
Image credit: @jinhairbeauty

With your scalp treated, getting a perm or dye will be less damaging to your hair. Jin Hair & Beauty offers highlights from $100 and full-length colour from $80, as well as perms from $120.

Unit: #B1-63
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10am-7pm | Sun 10am-5pm (Closed on Public Holidays)
Contact: 9687 7613

10. Old but gold Chinese hits at 东南亚唱片公司 Tang Nan Ah Company

Here’s a throwback ah ma and ah gong will appreciate. 东南亚唱片公司 Tang Nan Ah Company sells old-school Chinese hits from the 1970s to the early 2000s.

Vinyl recordings of singers from your grandparents’ era have been modernised onto CDs and cassette tapes, so don’t be surprised if you find the likes of Fei Yu-ching or Jody Chiang in this shop. Impress your grandparents with a copy of their favourite album and get a glimpse into their version of “songs to listen to while studying”.

Unit: #B1-09
Opening hours: 9am-6pm, Daily
Contact: 6533 0092

11. Replace lost tiles or get a new board at Yit Fatt Mahjong Centre

So you’ve memorised all the mahjong rules and tips and you’re now ready to host a game at home. Make sure you make a pit stop at Yit Fatt Mahjong Centre beforehand so you can pick up tables, mahjong sets, and poker chips you’ll need for the game.

This store even sells loose tiles, just in case you need to replace missing ones without having to buy a completely new set.

Unit: #02-30
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 11am-8pm (Closed on Sundays)
Contact: 6532 6461

Visit People’s Park Centre

Singapore has its fair share of glitzy shopping malls, but few have been around since the 1970s like People’s Park Centre. Even though it’s older, there’s still plenty to see and do. Whether it’s for a relaxing massage or finding new hobbies, there’s something for people of all ages here.

Shop on:

• Comprehensive shopping guide to Singapore
• Thrift stores in Singapore
• Pop Mart stores
• Artificial plant shops
• Sengkang Grand Mall
• NTP+ Mall