Charlie Soh and his wife Irene run hawker stall 88 Katong Laksa in Singapore. Photos shared via Facebook
The beloved hawker stall 88 Katong Laksa in Singapore will close on March 29, stall owner Charlie Soh has announced.
Charlie, 74, posted in a Facebook group that he and his wife Irene made the “painful decision” to shut the stall due to health concerns, Mothership reported.
Charlie has been battling stage 4 cancer for several years, while Irene is recovering from second-degree burns sustained while working at the stall and recently underwent knee replacement surgery, according to AsiaOne.
The couple thanked their customers for their support and said they look forward to serving their signature laksa until the final day.
Charlie’s announcement drew an outpouring of encouragement and well-wishes from netizens.
“Thank you for the many years of delicious laksa. Happy retirement,” a netizen wrote.
“Sad because each day our senior and wonderful hawkers are closing one by one… Happy because after all the years of hard work, you deserve a much-needed rest,” another wrote.
Some netizens noted that this closure felt more like a forced closure than a traditional retirement, reflecting the broader trend of long-standing hawker stalls shutting down.
Charlie started the stall at Circuit Road Hawker Centre after his cancer diagnosis in 2022, hoping to provide his wife with a stable source of income in case of his passing.
Besides its traditional seafood soup Katong Laksa, the stall also served local favorites such as chicken curry and fishball noodles.
-
US sending more troops to West Asia as Trump says Iran ready to give up on nukes
-
US Considers Troop Deployment Amid Rising Tensions in the Middle East
-
Recent Meteor Sightings Illuminate U.S. Skies
-
Emmerdale Tracy exit date confirmed in new spoilers as Amy Walsh welcomes second child
-
Fashion retailer to close its last-ever UK store - 'all stock must go'
