Long queues at Lim Chee Guan as it opens stores for walk-ins after online bak kwa sale
SINGAPORE – Long queues formed outside Lim Chee Guan’s Chinatown and Jewel Changi Airport outlets on Tuesday morning (Feb 9) as shoppers rushed to do some last-minute shopping for bak kwa.
Some joined the queues as early as 8am, although the outlets open after 9am.
Lim Chee Guan said it opened its stores on Monday to walk-in customers after all its barbecued products were sold out online, and will continue to sell its bak kwa till Wednesday, or while stocks last.
The heritage brand said last month it was moving online for its Chinese New Year sales for the first time to ensure the safety of its customers.
In a Facebook post on Monday, the bak kwa chain reminded customers to observe safe distancing measures and wear their masks at all times while queueing.
When The Straits Times visited Lim Chee Guan’s flagship store in New Bridge Road on Tuesday morning, there were 75 people queueing to buy bak kwa.
Shoppers maintained 1m apart from each other, while staff handed out stools to seniors so they could sit down while waiting for their turn.
There is a limit to how much shoppers can purchase. At the New Bridge Road outlet, shoppers can purchase up to 50kg per order. The limit is 20kg per order at the People’s Park Complex outlet and 5kg at both Jewel Changi Airport and Ion Orchard.
For some shoppers such as Ms Annie Chng, 65, word of mouth brought them to Lim Chee Guan despite the hot sun and snaking queues.
“I have never tried this bak kwa but my friends in their 50s and 60s say it is good,” said Ms Chng, who works part time at a Singapore Pools outlet.
Also in the queue at the New Bridge Road outlet was Briton Thomas Earle, 43. The US-based chef is in Singapore to celebrate Chinese New Year with his Singaporean wife and their child.
“My wife loves this store, she grew up eating this bak kwa. The store has been around since 1938. If I don’t try it, I’m never going to live it down,” he said.
At the People’s Park Complex outlet, engineer Lim Choon Wei, 39, began queueing at 9.30am although the store officially opens at 10am.
This was his second time visiting the same outlet, which was out of bak kwa by the time he arrived on Monday.
As to why he did not purchase from other bak kwa stores in the vicinity, Mr Lim said: “My wife asked me to buy this brand. This one is famous, a lot of people share it on Facebook.”
Meanwhile, there was no queue at the Ion Orchard outlet, as walk-in purchases only begin in the afternoon. ST understands that on Tuesday morning, shoppers paid for their purchases, which will be ready for collection later in the day.
“Buying bak kwa during the season is a yearly affair. I’m okay with the pre-order arrangement as I can come and collect during the evening,” said Ms Leanne Tay, 35, who works in banking.
Over at Jewel Changi Airport, queues began forming at 8am and there were 80 people in line when ST visited.
Air stewardess Vicky Wee, 61, was supposed to board a plane for Bangkok but made a beeline to the outlet once she was told the flight was cancelled due to technical difficulties.
“It’s really a blessing. I thought I would have to forgo my Lim Chee Guan bak kwa this year. Something would be missing if I didn’t have it. So I’m really happy that I’m in the queue,” she said.
In its Facebook post, Lim Chee Guan thanked its customers for the “enormous amount of support and requests” it has received. The online demand for its bak kwa was overwhelming, with its website crashing due to high traffic at one point.
It added that all of its outlets will be closed from Feb 11 to 13.
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