Elderly hawker closes stall after alleged rent hike from S$930 to S$3,000 under new coffee shop operator
An elderly hawker shut his vegetarian food stall on 26 February after the new coffee shop operator allegedly raised his monthly rent from S$930 to S$3,000. Leo Shang De, 76, who ran the stall for over a decade, said he could not afford the increase and plans to relocate to a hawker centre.
Veteran hawker Leo Shang De, 76, closed his vegetarian food stall on 26 February after the new coffee shop operator allegedly raised the rent three-fold, making it unaffordable for him to continue his business.
Leo and his wife had run Shang De Vegetarian at 566 Serangoon Road for over a decade. Before starting his own business, Leo worked in Denmark with his brother and spent over 10 years in the food and beverage industry before returning to Singapore.
Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, Leo recounted his journey. “At the time, I was around 50 years old. I initially helped out at a friend’s steel factory, but ultimately, I wanted to start my own business,” he said.
He began selling various dishes, including chicken rice and prawn noodles, before becoming interested in vegetarian cuisine through religion. This inspired him to promote healthier dining.
Following the coffee shop’s change in ownership, Leo was informed that his rent would allegedly increase from S$930 to S$3,000. Unable to sustain his business under such costs, he made the difficult decision to shut down.
“I am just running a small business, and I only earn enough to get by. I can’t afford such rent,” he told the newspaper.
He is now considering bidding for a stall at a government-owned hawker centre to continue his business.
Leo was also asked to vacate his stall by 28 February to facilitate the transition to the new operator. However, he and his wife, both in their 70s, needed more time to clear their belongings.
This led to a dispute between Leo and the outgoing coffee shop operator, whom Leo said had pressured him to move out faster.
“I had already told him that the move would be completed by 6 pm, with only one refrigerator left waiting for a truck to take it away. I don’t know why he was so aggressive,” Leo said.
Additionally, Leo requested a refund of two days’ rent—amounting to S$62—as he had ceased operations on 26 February.
The outgoing coffee shop operator allegedly rejected his request. The matter was resolved only after police were called to mediate, with the new operator personally refunding Leo.
On Leo’s last day of business, several long-time customers came to support him, including Workers’ Party chief and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh.
Singh shared a photo with Leo and his wife on Instagram, noting that Leo planned to resume operations soon.
“I expected him to say a few months’ rest. He said one or two days,” Singh wrote.
In his post, Singh also praised Leo’s adventurous spirit, revealing that Leo had spent 12 years in Sweden as a restaurateur, running a restaurant in Gothenburg. Singh also noted that Leo speaks Swedish and some Danish, reflecting his overseas experience.
“Sometimes, one has to take a risk and venture forth into the unknown—it makes for a life well-lived and lived to the fullest!” Singh added. He likened this mindset to entering opposition politics in Singapore.
View this post on Instagram
Outgoing coffee shop operator: ‘I felt disrespected’
The previous coffee shop operator, in response to Leo’s allegations, said he had clearly communicated to all stallholders that they needed to vacate by 1 March so the premises could be renovated.
According to him, when he approached Leo on 28 February to check on his progress, Leo responded, “It’s none of your business. I will speak directly with the coffee shop owner.” The operator claimed he felt disrespected by this remark.
“Although I am only the operator of the coffee shop, the stall owners pay their rentals to me, and they also signed their lease with me,” he said.
He admitted that he may have spoken inappropriately due to frustration but justified his decision not to return Leo’s two days’ rent.
“All stalls were closed on 26 February, but the current coffee shop owner did not refund the rental to me. How can I give back to the stall owners?” he asked.
Despite the tense exit, Leo and his wife remain determined to continue their business and are actively seeking a new location.
