Upper Serangoon Road
North East, Singapore
December 2014
Merlion Wayfarer recently went back in time to the 1980s to Upper Serangoon Road. Iconic along this stretch of road is the rectangular block of a nondescript beige-tiled building. The facade of this building is blocked by an overhead bridge. And this is the front entrance to a shopping centre - the Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre (USSC).
Built in 1981, Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre (USSC) was built to cater to the crowds living in the 1953, 1954 and 1955 postal districts. (Yes, at a time when postal codes were still denoted in 4 digits.)
In the 1980s and early 1990s, USSC was the main gathering point for xinyao singers who were invited to grace weekends with their presence - Liang Wern Fook 梁文福 was here, Dawn Yip (Yan Liming) 颜黎明 was here, even Eric Moo 巫启贤 was here too.
North East, Singapore
December 2014
Merlion Wayfarer recently went back in time to the 1980s to Upper Serangoon Road. Iconic along this stretch of road is the rectangular block of a nondescript beige-tiled building. The facade of this building is blocked by an overhead bridge. And this is the front entrance to a shopping centre - the Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre (USSC).
Built in 1981, Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre (USSC) was built to cater to the crowds living in the 1953, 1954 and 1955 postal districts. (Yes, at a time when postal codes were still denoted in 4 digits.)
A throwback picture in earlier years, when Ban Cheong Jewellers was still its next door neighbour...
A very obscured front facade - the main entrance - with an overhead bridge and a big tree blocking it...
Seasonal decorations are decked each time a festive season dawns...
In the 1980s and early 1990s, USSC was the main gathering point for xinyao singers who were invited to grace weekends with their presence - Liang Wern Fook 梁文福 was here, Dawn Yip (Yan Liming) 颜黎明 was here, even Eric Moo 巫启贤 was here too.
Where the stage used to be, now an antique and sundry shop rests...
It's quite hard to imagine all these now-empty and desolate upper floors filled with hundreds of screaming fans supporting their xinyao idols...
This is a mall so held back in time that spelling mistakes are tolerated...
By 8pm, the mall is almost deserted with the only sign of life in the eateries.
Surprisingly, all the escalators and lights are in good working condition...
House of Seafood has moved here after their relocation from Yio Chu Kang Road...
These are the shops which have stood the test of time.
Christanio De Florist's Christopher who has stayed true to his art and his location after more than 20 years here, and Mr and Mrs Lee whose simple shop has seen their 3 children through their tertiary years...
The pair of stone lions still guard here, unblemished in their marbled paleness after 30 years
- They will be here many years more...
