Back in the days of yore, before malls sprouted around every corner of our Little Red Dot, department stores were undoubtedly the crowd favourites. Modern mega malls like ION Orchard and VivoCity didn’t exist just yet, so the masses took their business to chains like Oriental Emporium instead.
A trip to the latter’s department stores was nothing short of magical for the lil’uns, and many have formed core memories at their many outlets peppered all over Singapore back then. Today, we’re turning back the hands of time, to have a look at how this one-stop shop proved to be the definitive weekend haunt for families of the 80s.
When the first Oriental Emporium opened its doors in 1966 in Raffles Place, it was the only department store in Singapore that sold a huge range of goods imported from China. This included canned food, cotton garments, blankets, pillows, stationery, toiletries, and other household items.
What the first Oriental Emporium at Raffles Place looked like in 1966.
Image credit: Oriental Emporium Limited
More importantly, these goods were affordably priced, as compared to what the Western-run department stores like John Little or Robinsons were dishing out at the time. Unsurprisingly, Singaporeans couldn’t get enough of the deals over at Oriental Emporium, and the crazy demand for their China-imported goods fueled the opening of 15 other stores within Singapore from 1970 to 1979.
The kids would also jump for joy when their parents told them that they had to swing by Oriental Emporium. They would make a beeline for the toys section, but would only go so far as to do some window-shopping if the adults weren’t too keen on shelling out the extra money.
Image adapted from: YL Tay via Facebook
The shopping experience was part of the novelty too, because the stores were pretty modern for their time. They were equipped with state-of-the-art lifts, and not many establishments of yesteryear could claim they had air conditioning, unlike Oriental Emporium. The store also had a handy bag deposit counter where shoppers could have their belongings safeguarded while they went about their shopping.
Image credit: Yip Yew Chong via Facebook
The Emporium Group really hit their stride in the next few years. On 28th March 1980, a total of 10 new Emporium establishments were opened – all on the same day! These included branches in Clementi, Woodlands, Bedok, and Ang Mo Kio. This marked their expansion into Singapore’s heartlands, and many visitors have fond memories visiting these very stores in their heydays.
They didn’t just stop at department stores too, as the Emporium Group also opened a couple of Oriental Restaurants around the country.
Peep the old school FairPrice logo too.
Image credit: Daily Quote Singapore via Facebook
The one that was at Oriental Emporium Ang Mo Kio, which occupied the piece of land where AMK Hub stands today, is particularly nostalgic for residents of the past. Birthday and wedding celebrations were commonly held at the restaurant, and families would have their weekend Yum Cha right here by indulging in early morning dim sum served by aunties with their push carts.
Image credit: Missy Png via Facebook
Some of these newer outlets not only housed restaurants, but confectionaries and supermarkets too. This essentially turned these department stores into malls where families could spend their entire days at, a concept that was revolutionary for their time.
They even welcomed a 24/7 supermarket and department store in Tanjong Katong Complex in 1983 called Yokoso Superstore, to go toe-to-toe with the rise of Japanese counterparts like Yaohan.
The Emporium Group went the extra mile to fly their senior staff over to Japan to undergo training, as well as bring in a bunch of Japanese retail experts to manage the store.
Image credit: Dolby Thx via Facebook
Business was booming for Oriental Emporium throughout the early 1980s; that is, until Singapore was hit with its first post-independence economic recession in 1985. The Emporium Group was bleeding money, and saw a loss of $10 million midway through 1985, and so they had to pull the plug on their dynasty.
The Emporium Group was liquidated in 1987, and the brothers who founded the group declared bankruptcy the following year. The group was then acquired by various entities over the years, but attempts to revive the beloved department stores just weren’t successful, and thus the last Oriental Emporium department store was shuttered for good on 22nd July 1999.
The Oriental Emporium department stores may be but a figment of our memories, but that childlike wonder of roaming its expansive premises for the first time is nothing short of indelible. If you’d like, you can pick up a memento from sites like Carousell, as there are listings for Oriental Emporium calendars and their iconic paper bags to remind you of simpler times.
Image credit: The Singapore Conscience via Facebook
Although Oriental Emporium has joined the ranks of defunct malls and department stores in Singapore, they’ve paved the way for how our favourite air-conditioned havens are run today. From supermarkets that operate round the clock to all-encompassing directories, we have to give our thanks to the OG one-stop shop for our malls’ convenient amenities of today.
For more nostalgia-inducing reads, take a look at what our heartland malls used to look like versus now. Pre-S.E.A Aquarium, another hotspot we used to spend our leisure time at was Sentosa’s Underwater World. For those all about that countryside lifestyle, here’s what kicking back in Kampong Sungei Durian looks like, which is the last Malay kampong in Singapore.
Cover image adapted from: Carousell, Missy Png & The Singapore Conscience via Facebook
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