Tag: retail

  • Give them something new to discover

    Give them something new to discover

    Kenny Leck runs an iconic store in Singapore called BooksActually. It is a local bookstore that specializes in carefully curated books, vintage goods, and odds-and-ends that book lovers universally tend to love. They offer an assortment of items such as notebooks, tote bags, and sealing wax, celebrating the art of writing and communication. BooksActually has…

  • Surviving as a specialist of books

    Surviving as a specialist of books

    Basheer Graphic Books is an iconic shop in Singapore that is known for its design-related books, run by Abdul Nasser whom you can often see at the store. The shop has a rich history dating back to the 1980s when Abdul Nasser’s father would personally go from office to office with travelling luggages filled with…

  • Keeping it real

    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…

  • Building an e-commerce business from the ground-up

    Building an e-commerce business from the ground-up

    I had a wonderful opportunity to chat over coffee with Abel Neoh to explore the nuts-and-bolts of his electronics business that he started in 2010. The interview was rich, textured, and brimming with insights. His insights came in handy for my PhD research about small businesses, so I decided to capture the key points in…

  • Mud & Metal

    Mud & Metal

    When you’ve been in the art and jewelry business in Baltimore for almost 20 years like Carol, you witness changes in the way people relate to one another. She observes: “There’s been a shift in what material things mean: we are buying less gifts for one another, and putting more money into learning, and being…