69 330
ENTREPRENEURS
69
January14
How do you source your stock?
My supplier in India sources over
90 percent of all the furniture from
four palaces – two in Gujarat, one in
Rajasthan and another in Kerala – and
the rest from old colonial mansions.
Once I have decided on the pieces
I will be purchasing, having a clear
idea of its provenance, I give it to my
team of six experienced restorers. After
critical examination, the furniture may be
clarified and polished, or lightly cleaned
and renewed. Good judgement and the
application of antique restoration best
practices are the ideal way to enhance
the value of antique colonial furniture.
Why Tanglin Shopping Centre?
This was a no-brainer. An iconic mall
located in the prime Tanglin andOrchard
Road shopping belt, it is known for its
antiques, exotic artefacts, artwork and
jewellery.
The key to success in our business
(or any other business in Singapore,
I believe), is to own the premises
where you operate. For that reason, we
purchased two units at Tanglin Shopping
Centre. This was an important move,
given our promise of a 100-percent
buyback at the end of three years, as
it projects a sense of continuity and
permanence.
Would you do anything differently
next time round?
I opened shop in October 2013, and
honestly, the response has been beyond
my wildest expectations. I have been
truly humbled by the appreciation of
both my furniture and the business
model that I have introduced; the word-
of-mouth publicity has been astounding.
Though it is still early days, nothing
has come up so far to make me
think that I should have done things
differently. One important thing I have
learnt, though, is that each person has
completely unique likes and tastes. So,
in order to be successful I should have
no preconceived notions about what
people are shopping for, but instead
have a range as wide and diverse as
possible to meet different tastes.
Anything in the pipeline for 2014?
All going to plan, I will expand to a
second unit within Tanglin Shopping
Centre. Also, I would like to establish a
warehouse outlet where I can display a
much wider range of furniture.
Treasures of the Raj
19 Tanglin Road
#03-28 Tanglin Shopping Centre
9173 5041 |
totr.pw