The National Heritage Board's (NHB's) Street Corner Heritage Galleries have expanded to Kampong Gelam following its successful launch at Balestier. The initiative highlights seven participating shops and businesses in the ethnic enclave – each with its own story.
The businesses in Kampong Gelam – Bhai Sarbat Singapore, Sin Hin Chuan Kee, V.S.S. Varusai Mohamed & Sons, Jamal Kazura Aromatics, Rumah Makan Minang, Sabar Menanti Nasi Padang and Warong Nasi Pariaman – each has at least 30 years of history operating in a precinct that is steeped in history and heritage. These businesses call the area home and have withstood many changes over the years, boasting a treasure trove of stories along the way waiting to be told.
Perhaps you're familiar with Bhai Sarbat on 21 Bussorah Street, which has been offering the sarabat (alteration of the Malay word for "ginger juice") and other local favourites to patrons since the 1950s. It started as a becak ("cycle rickshaw" in Malay) stall started by a migrant from India known colloquially as Firuz before settling into a shophouse in the 1970s. If you need an introduction: Teh sarabat (also known as teh halia), is sweet and spiced with ginger. It has long been a familiar drink to quench one's thirst at any time of the day.
The business was bought over by current owner Mohammad Asgar in 2018 and named Bhai Sarbat (which means "Brother Sarbat" in Hindi and Urdu) after overhearing a customer referring to its colloquial name. The shop's success is built on the popularity of teh tarik and teh sarabat, both pulled tea drinks with the latter usually including a ginger extract.
Next door, you'll find Jamal Kazura Aromatics. Since 1933, the business has concocted an extensive assortment of perfumes encompassing a diverse variety of scents. The business was founded as Kazura Company by Mohamed Hanifa bin Mohamed Shariff, who had migrated to Singapore from South India via the Riau Islands. Originally located at 728 North Bridge Road, and in the early years, he sold a variety of items including books, gemstones, apparel and perfumes. In the early days, many of his customers were pilgrims on the Haj and congregants at the nearby Masjid Sultan.
The founder's son Mohamed Jamal Bin Mohamed Hanifa renamed the business Jamal Kazura Aromatics and focused on selling perfumed, essential oils and incense. The business also began specialising in non-alcoholic perfumes known as attar in Arabic.
Jamal blends and creates numerous distinctive perfumes using essential oils such as saffron, sandalwood and frankincense which includes bestsellers "Symphony" and "Sultan". From the 1990s, the business broadened its perfume range to cater to evolving tastes and multi-ethnic, multi-religious clientele. This includes Buddhists purchasing sandalwood incense and Christians buying frankincense. Mohamed Hanifa's legacy can also be seen at grandson's Johari Kazura's Sift Aromatics, which offers more bespoke perfumes for a new generation.
There's only so much we can tell you about these heritage businesses. But visit the "mini-museums" curated by NHB yourself to find out about the history and heritage of these businesses and trades and have a chat with the second- and third-generation owners while you're there.