Popular Emerald Bakery in Clementi shuts down after 25 years

Just before the last day of 2023, popular neighbourhood patisserie The Emerald Bakery announced its closure on Dec 29. It had been operating at Blk 325 Clementi Ave 5 for 25 years, since its owner, Dennis Lim, set up shop at the HDB block in 1998.

The 55-year-old ran it with his wife till late last year, when the couple made the difficult decision to close their business and retire.

They were well-loved for their old-school buns, tarts and cakes, including Swiss rolls and sugary doughnut balls packed in no-frills plastic bags. Their wood-clad bakery was also one-of-its-kind, with a vintage British charm to it.

Speaking to 8days.sg, the owners' son Benjamin Lim, 28, said that his parents had been discussing their retirement for a long time, and started informing their regular customers once they decided to close. “They have been running this business for 25 years, so it’s time for them to rest and regather,” he shared.

The Lims’ bakery had weathered a few events that impacted their business, including the COVID-19 pandemic and GST hikes. “We also import a lot of our flour from overseas, and the war in Ukraine affected the prices quite a bit,” the younger Lim pointed out.

But he added that inflation is not the reason why his parents decided to shut their bakery. He said: “I wouldn’t attribute (the closure) to the increase in prices. My parents just thought it’s time to take a step back. They are getting to a certain age and value time with their family and are concerned about their own health.”

Lim, who has been helping his parents at their bakery since he was a kid, considered taking over the business, but ultimately decided to pursue a different career as a mortgage banker.

“Taking over was the plan for the longest time, but I have other financial commitments and got a job offer from a bank,” he shared.

After convening with his parents, they decided that it was better for him to work outside of their family business for his “first official job”.

He explained: “My parents strongly encouraged me to step out, ’cause it’s good to go out and get some exposure first.” But the family doesn’t rule out reopening The Emerald Bakery in the future, as he said: “Maybe we can visit this again next time.”

This story was originally published in 8Days.