Small Neighbourhood Businesses

I love to study and observe what small businesses do around my area.

There is a somewhat new shop at the town shopping mall. It used to be Coffee Bean for over ten years. After its lease expired, this shop came in.

While renovation was still incomplete, I had big hopes on it because of the name. Nom's Bristro. Sounds like some nice dining(bristro), but in a casual or not too expensive way (noms).

It began by selling a few specialty dishes, like laksa, mee rebus, nasi lemak etc. on one side, and bread on the other. I tried it once with the kids, but the dishes were underwhelming. Upstairs, the foodcourt serves better tasting ones. And its pricing was like the foodcourt. Then what is the difference?

Before long, less than two months I think, it changed tact. It began to sell rice amd varied dishes. 杂菜饭。I was surprised. One one hand, impressed with how nimble its business plan was, but on the other, selling rice and vege was such a bad move. We already have two stalls selling that in a vicinity!

Just last week, its display changed again for the bread counter. I was a little excited to see changes, but realised nothing except for the position of the counter had changed.

Lesson. Good to be nimble and on your toes. I have never seen a more nimble business around. But sad that it has no idea what works.

Next is our favourite stall in the neighbourhood. The roti prata stall along Sembawang Road. This is our weekly haunt, as the husband has a prata addiction, which he has infected me with.
< br/> This was also our first stop to visit when we returned from a two months stay in US. Not char kway teow, not laksa, not chicken rice. Roti Prata. Makes me so proudly Singaporean.

I think it is the vibes at the shop. As you can see, the reno is very simple and the colours..haha,typically Indian, which I have come to love. If you ask me to make a purse in that colour, think I will faint. But just looking at the table and its colour makes me feel so fond.

The prata is cheap. Typically a prata meal for the four of us costs less than SGD10. Maybe two eggs and four kosong plus a teh talia or two. The kids love their papadam crackers. After every meal, we'd grab two packets and they munch it at the mall nearby.

Business is good. I always wonder at its business model. You can enjoy full restaurant service here as someone takes your order and brings you your prata when ready. I love the sight of their waiter, so busy and always persipiring, rushing about to clean tables, taking and delivering orders. That is the vibe I enjoy. So busy.

The dining area used to be a covered side road, but they had since bought another unit by the side and provided aircon service.

So my wonder is. Food so cheap, service so good, how do they survive? Guess they survive by volume. The locals love this shop and the business is good.

I dun quite like this business model because I always think the depressed labour wages actually subsidise the business. That is the business makes money, but because the workers are willing to be paid low wages. But looking at the perkiness in their waiters, who never show you face if you request more curry or utensils, and they like to play with Baobao and Meimei, you have no idea they would be unhappy for being underpaid. That is what I keep saying, the vibe is amazing. You get good and happy service at a low price. This business has something more going for it.

Which brings me to the next point. Don't always be quick to get a good bargain for yourself by trying to press down the prices as much as possible for your own advantage. If you do not take care of the businesses that provide you with the service, soon they will go outta business and you will lose too.

which was the reason why, last week when they gave us the wrong curry, we went to change it ourselves rather than to wait for the waiter to come.