Inside a retired couple’s nostalgia-filled home packed with vintage items
Retired couple Tan Yan Khim and Molly Yap have spent over 40 years collecting, restoring and selling retro items that preserve memories of old-school Singapore.
You can find vintage signboards, vinyl records, coin-operated kiddie rides, kopitiam furniture, old clocks and other nostalgic memorabilia inside their MacPherson terrace home.
80-year-old Mr Tan’s love for retro collecting began in his late 30s during visits to the old Sungei Road flea market after work.
He first started collecting items that reminded him of his childhood, including record players and grandfather clocks his father once owned. What began as casual browsing slowly grew into a small collection.
In 2000, he opened a shop for his wife Molly to sell the items. Though she initially did not understand their appeal, she later grew to appreciate their value. Today, they sell mainly through Carousell.
Mr Tan’s background in electronics from his previous job at IBM also sparked an interest in restoring vintage items.
Over the years, he has repaired vinyl players, jukeboxes and lamps, finding personal fulfilment in bringing old objects back to life.
He also taught himself new skills over the years, including acrylic sign restoration and upholstery work for vintage furniture such as the barber chair in his home.
