Antiques in Singapore and Riders Cafe

One man’s junk is another man’s treasure! When surrounded by crazy rich asians and their modern conveniences, contemporary homes, bespoke shopping malls, metropolitan city buildings and high street fashion, it is hard to think that there’s actually an old Singapore.

In Singapore we pride ourselves in our speed of renewal, nothing stays the same for over 5 years and cranes and construction sites are part of the landscape. Which is why, this forgotten corner of Singapore, in the middle of the country no less, is always fascinating to visit.

I’m talking about Turf City, specifically, the Antique Row. Antique Row isn’t the official name but it is what we Singaporean’s call this part of Singapore. Much like my other visit to second-hand shops in Singapore to look for old, and sometimes refurbished, furniture, I came to antique row to see if I can find a pair of stools or something that would work as stools.

Antique Row is along a more “ulu” part of Turf Club Road. There are no signs or no roads but there’s just one POI on Google Maps that can get you there. Search for “Junkie’s Corner”.

Address: 2 Turf Club Road

You will know you are in the right place when you see something that looks almost like a junkyard. It is a cluster of 3 or 4 shops.

You will find tons of antiques like old wooden desks and chests of drawers, leather suitcases, lamps, ceramic vases, garden ornaments, grandfather clocks and the odd fun fair merry-go-round horse?!

Although the space was expansive, it was so full and piled high that some of the items are spilling over onto the road.

It was a real treat to walk among so many old treasures. Some of them looked even older than our ages combined! I wonder that kind of lives they led and who were their previous owners.

However compared to Hock Siong secondhand furniture, I find that most of them are not in very good condition and needs lots of TLC, but it is still a unique experience for us to stretch our imagination and creativity to see their potential. But it is probably just me because I have “karang guni man” tendencies and love to give old things new life.

Unfortunately for us, our humble “fun-sized” abode was too small for most of the items as they are quite large. In addition, for old stuffs, they are also not as cheap as I thought! Goes to show Singapore is a really expensive place to live. I guess it is a really good hunting ground for bespoke furniture if you own a restaurant or shop or commercial space, or a really large house!

After scrambling through the antique shops, getting a little lost and overwhelmed, we decided to drop by the nearby Rider’s cafe for a spot of tea and scones, which are really good by the way. If you are early, you can also ride the horses and give them a little exercise.

Address: 51 Fairways Dr, Singapore 286965

All in all, it was a great and fulfilling day to spend at this forgotten corner of Singapore. I would definitely visit again if I find the space in my home.