JOHOR BARU, March 28 Businesses in the city centre here welcomed the announcement of the reopening of the Malaysia-Singapore land border from April 1. Most of the businesses there have been hit hard in the last two years, with some shutting for good, due to the lockdown and border closures in.
Lim preparing the coal-fired oven at Hiap Joo Bakery and Biscuit Factory at Jalan Tan Hiok Nee.
BUSINESS at the two remaining old-fashioned bakeries in the older part of Johor Baru city has plummeted because of the Covid-19 pandemic and movement control order.
Century-old Hiap Joo Bakery & Biscuit Factory’s famous banana cakes, which are baked in a coal-fired oven, are popular with the locals and Singaporeans.
Usually, there is a long queue by 11am daily for the cakes at the bakery located in Jalan Tan Hiok Nee.
“But not these days, the line only lasts for about five minutes, ” said Lim Toh Shin, 41, who manages the outlet’s operations.
Tuesday, 15 Dec 2020
Popular favourite: Customers at the 101-year-old Hiap Joo Bakery in Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, Johor Baru, maintaining social distancing while making a purchase.
JOHOR BARU: Business operators in the city centre have heaved a sigh of relief as foot traffic increased with the government’s recent move to allow interstate travel, but most of them remain wary about observing Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs).
The 101-year-old Hiap Joo Bakery in Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, famous for buns and banana cakes, saw an increase of about 20% in sales in the past week, according to its third generation proprietor Lim Toh Huei.