Category: Home
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Jakarta: Making a living at home.
I was strolling through a neighbourhood in Jakarta, and observed that people’s homes were also doubling up as shops. Each family seemed to offer a service from dentistry, tailoring, fresh vegetables, and more! Commercial life weaved casually into the community, and it looked like every household had found a way to participate in the economy…
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Keeping it real
Walking into this shop, you will be delighted with the calming aura of a tropical forest, as though its fragrance was freshly awakened from the rain. The baskets and vases are hand-fashioned out of natural material such as atah roots with designs that leap out for their distinctive style. Rose Ramzan has been in the…
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Free gift for you from Shopkeeper Stories
Here is a free gift for you! A gorgeous coffeetable book showcasing interviews from 20+ vibrant trades in Singapore from books to lingerie to electronics! This medley of photographic essays will delight you with inspiration and insight. To get this free gift, simply share any of your 3 favourite posts from the Shopkeeper Stories Facebook page…
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Carpet Trade
A mother-and-daughter team from Iran are bringing the rich tradition of carpets to Singapore. Iran is known for their exquisite Persian carpets which made up 13% of their total exports in 2012. The largest buyers were Germany (29%) and Japan. If you have a curiosity for the flow of commodities around the world, you might…
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Housework
“This shop was started by my father-in-law. When I got married, I started working here with my husband. 38 years already. But now, no new customers, all from before.”
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Getting Fresh
When I asked Leo whether I could take his photograph, he glared at me: “You trying to get fresh with me?! Are you getting fresh with me?” Stunned but unfazed, I looked right back at him and joked: “What? You? Never!” He broke into a wide grin, but his eyes quickly brimmed with tears. He…
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Embracing serendipity, and other tips for running a retail business
“One woman, one mid-life divorce, one teenage child, one personal makeover, one day at a time, making it all work on one world wide media web, connecting all the dots.” Your curiosity can fuel a business Entering into Caravanserai is like stepping into a global village where your senses will be tantalized by the artistry…
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His-Story of the USA
Christian is a walking Wikipedia! He can narrate the historical context for everything in his shop like a true storyteller. His journey in the antique industry began in his 20s when he got hooked on the history of art while helping his father. “My dad collected a lot of Japanese art, so I would research…
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Shop-key-per
Katy started her locksmith business in San Francisco in 1969, and describes how she took a long-distance course… without the Internet! “It was called a correspondence course. They sent me the lessons in the mail, so I would do the lessons and send it back. For example, they would send me a lock to pick, so…
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Magic Lamps
You will meet Ali at a shop that sells carpets and lamps along Arab Street in Singapore. These street shops are like windows of observation into the world. “Many interesting people come here. One time, two friends who had been separated for 15 years found each other by chance in this shop.”
Shopkeeper Stories 