20
/
oooh
antique finds
PHOTOS BY JENNY PEÑAS
Just some of
the goods at
Uncle Keng's
GET A GLIMPSE OF THE OLD
SINGAPORE AT TONG MERN
SERN, A 42-YEAR-OLD SHOP
IN TANJONG PAGAR
From trash
to treasure
Located on Craig Road,
just a short walk from
Chinatown, Tong Mern
Sern Antiques, Arts &
Crafts occupies an old,
three-story shophouse that’s
full to bursting with vintage
goods. Browse everything
from porcelain, Peranakan
tiles and wood carvings to
antique luggage, furniture,
jewelry, pendant lamps,
bicycles, old typewriters
and much more. Trash or
treasure? It all depends on
your point of view.
Keng Ah Wong, its chatty
owner, set up shop in 1972. “I
didn’t know anything about
antiques when I started. I just
collected things that people
threw away,” he says. “I just
learned from my customers.”
Next time you’re in town,
stop by for a visit. If you’re
lucky, you might find a
one-of-a-kind item you
can take home. At the
very least, you can have a
talk with Uncle Keng.
i
TONGMERN SERN
IS LOCATED AT
51 CRAIG RD, SINGAPORE, TEL: +65 6223
1037;
