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Closed within a year? That’s exactly what happened to Singabola Chicken Rice, a local celebrity-owned stall, which was recently discovered to have shuttered for good.
Singabola was established in Jun 2024, by influencer Simonboy and actor Peter Yu, in Lepak One Corner @ Canberra. The pair, as Christian converts, had previously bonded over church, and decided to start the brand together over their love for chicken rice.
The closure was discovered when on 9 Jan, AsiaOne visited the coffee shop to find the stall empty. There were signs on the television screens above the counter, indicating that it was available for rent.
Other staff at Lepak One Corner @ Canberra also stated that Singabola may have already been shuttered since Oct 2024.
Surprisingly, the incident went unannounced to the public. It was puzzling since Singabola owns Instagram and Facebook accounts, which have been inactive for the past 4-5 months.
Simonboy has responded to the AsiaOne reports, commenting that “business is either fail or succeed! At least we tried.” He also commented that entering the F&B market made him realise how challenging business can be for the workers in the industry.
Why did Singabola Chicken Rice shutter so early, despite only running for several months?
There have been observations of low footfall, which possibly resulted in a lack of business. The reason could have been due to the location, as the Yishun coffee shop was usually empty even during peak lunch hours.
Usual kopitiam fare such as Steamed and Roasted Chicken Rice (S$4.50/S$6.50) was served at the stall.
Singabola also offered a unique variation of the dish, Singapura Chicken Rice Ball (S$6.50) on the menu. For this dish, a hard-boiled egg and some chicken were rolled into chicken rice and shaped into a ball, then deep-fried for a crispy exterior.
While Singabola Chicken Rice at Yishun has shuttered for good, Simonboy shows no intentions of giving up. Thanking his supporters, he has promised that the experience will not hinder him from continuing to explore his endeavours.
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