Dear future!Sarah,
Warung Nasi Pariaman is closing on 31 January 2026 and I don’t know why. Maybe you’ll know why in the future when you look back on this. Or if someone commented why.
Because no one knows.
The actual Berita news even reported it on TV last night with the shortest report on it with just the shot of the shop and “Warung Nasi Pariaman is closing on 31 January” in Malay, of course.
And everyone is gossiping.
It’s going to be ironic if this article from Channel News Asia gets deleted in the future because of digital archival issues but it is
Surging rents, subletting and tourism reshape Kampong Glam’s historic streets – 12 January 2026 by Nadirah Zaidi, Marcel Pereira: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/kampong-glam-surging-rents-subletting-tourism-cultural-heritage-5852121
I’m going to quote from the article:
Several business owners told CNA that an individual they called a “serial subletter” is active in the area.
The person allegedly monitors leases nearing expiry, bids significantly above current rents to secure the unit, and then rents it out again at an even higher rate to other businesses.
This makes it impossible for existing tenants to match new offers, shopowners say.
International chains and brands have also become increasingly visible in Haji Lane – a shift that some local tenants say dilutes the area’s cultural value.
And now, I’m going to quote from Warong Nasi Pariaman, said to be Singapore’s oldest nasi padang stall, will close on Jan 31 – 20 January 2026 by Hazeeq Sukri: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/dining/warong-nasi-pariaman-closing-576696
The iconic nasi padang store Warong Nasi Pariaman will shut down on Jan 31, announced its owners on Tuesday (Jan 20). In a statement on its social media pages, the owners of Warong Nasi Pariaman wrote in Malay: “With our deepest gratitude, we would like to inform you that Warong Nasi Pariaman will cease operations on Jan 31. Thank you for the support, love, and the many sweet memories shared with us over the years.”
First established in 1948 at Kandahar Street by Haji Isrin from the West Sumatran city of Pariaman, Warong Nasi Pariaman has been a constant fixture of the Kampong Glam area.
And the most curious line that has everyone wanting to know more…
No reason has been given for its closure.
Because there’s no reason, everyone is speculating if it is about leases. Unless it is about family recipes? That’s one reason why they might not say. Or if the family is retiring? After all, they are indeed a traditional Malay family type business so usually they won’t say if it is family stuff.
It’s just, it’s a historical shop that, we just don’t know.
You know, future!Sarah, Kampong Glam has been rapidly changing. Even more than usual for Singapore. One of the most memorable kampung (village) like happening was when Mr Jamal passed away in November 2024 and the whole actual kampung and the Sultan mosque congregated together for his funeral.
He was one of the elders of the committee there.
As a non-Kampong Glam-ian (?), I won’t know what happens in that kampung but even I knew he was a significant presence. I don’t know who is in the committee there now or who is left since theoratically, it should have been a lot of seniors of the families who had lived and made businesses.
But as more seniors pass away or old traditional shops close… We really don’t know who will take over. Are new businesses ‘allowed’ to take over? Will there be a cognitive dissonance as a new ‘thing’ takes over? Will it feel weird to see something else there when it’s was there for 78 years?
I guess, I don’t know what else to say but.
IF ISLAMIC RESTAURANT EVER CLOSES I’M GONNA SCREEEEECH. They’re another traditional business that’s been in the area for ages (1921, before the World Wars) and my family buys that style of briyani to eat.
I don’t know about you all but food isn’t just food to me. While I do savour the flavours, it’s the taste of memories that I go after too.
