Qst about past: National & Bata

[loneshark]

Last time, only relatively well to do kids wear BM2000. About $14-16 a pair?
I wear Panda. Lousy soles that burn through.Water leaks in on rainy days, totally digusting.
Those were the days.

 

[johnny333]

Thanks. Really long history. Thought it was a SG or MY brand. Anyway, me don't even wear BATA shoes, it's either Panda brand in primary school or Double Happiness when secondary school.

When I was younger I also thought it was a Malayan brand since rubber is what Malaysia is famous for

When you think of "old Spore", names like Robinsons, CK Tang, Fitzpatricks, Cold Storage, Shaw come to mind. The name Bata doesn't register :o
Sporeans must thank Bata for providing the cheap canvas shoes most of us wore to school

 

[Fishypie]

Thanks. Really long history. Thought it was a SG or MY brand. Anyway, me don't even wear BATA shoes, it's either Panda brand in primary school or Double Happiness when secondary school.

Oh, i wore that DoubLe Happiness too; was it made in China, and sometimes they caLL it Hockey shoes ?..

 

[scroobal]

I remember Magnolia but not the rest. For some reason it was not part of town that go often. I however do remember the Japanese restaurant with the fake dishes in the shop window. I would normally go to MPH and walloped the wanton mee at Nat Library.

You don't remember Magnolia Snack Bar, The Noodle Shop there with the "ow lam mien" with Almond Flavoured Soya Bean drink , the Malacca eating house, & the Indian Kachang Putih?? No?

 

[Ramseth]

I remember Magnolia but not the rest. For some reason it was not part of town that go often. I however do remember the Japanese restaurant with the fake dishes in the shop window. I would normally go to MPH and walloped the wanton mee at Nat Library.

I used to spend whole day at the red brick library. Morning mee rebus breakfast and afternoon lunch wanton mee. Snack before dinner at Magnolia then go home. The bus stop was outside Library or one further stop away outside Magnolia.

 

[Zombie]

maybe an old photo can help someone remember?




http://victorkoo.blogspot.com/2008/07/those-who-know-buy-national.html

Tuesday, July 15, 2008
peter said...

The government has gazetted the Capitol Centre (site of National signboard/showroom) for redevelopment. So expect very soon the bulldozers moving in.
This location has seen so many changes in the last few decades. Before the National Showroom came up, there was the Union Jack Club, the equivalent of the Britannia Club on Beach Road.

Pinto- Peninsular Plaza is next to Capitol Center. Peninsular Shopping Center is next to Peninsular Hotel.

Union Jack Club.. news in 1925
http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19250121.2.64.aspx

 

[chuckyworld]

I also do tickets at Ruby, Hoover and president theatre too, most of the time i am around Tivoli, new Hong Kong and Cockpit.....

 

[chuckyworld]

My Last show at CapitoL was Abba the Movie ..

Me only sell no watch, go mor mor Pai Kow more fun.....

 

[Ramseth]

Me only sell no watch, go mor mor Pai Kow more fun.....

I mor mor tian kow hoh seh liow!

 

[chuckyworld]

I mor mor tian kow hoh seh liow!

I only play 3 hand all in win or lose akan pantak go Bugis st eat Tu hong Kiam Chye, Sa Po Hee Tao.....

 

[Papsmearer]

I think Swee Lee was closer to the Capitol Building Opposite the MRT exit, where they had all fast food restaurants.

I think you are right. My recollection was there was only one music store on that stretch of road. And it was quite big, rows and rows of glass displays with musical instruments. They sell pianos, brass wind instrument, did piano tuning, sheet music, etc. If this is the store you are thinking off, than its probably Seasons.

 

[HTOLAS]

Central is still a functioning fire station.

Yeah, those days, Royal Hilltop (Fort Canning) was favorite for rubba rubba. The Central Fire Station actually doubled up as Gang 24 Communication Centre between Big Town and Small Town branches until Fire Brigade got reorganized into SCDF. Most of the firemen then were gang members. I think now it's non-functional, just a museum.

 

[HTOLAS]

Bata was first established in what is today the Czech Republic but is now headquartered in Switzerland. It has become an MNC with stores and production facilities all over the world. Not too long ago, I read that one fascinating aspect of Bata is that wherever they have set up production, they have managed to convey the impression that it is a local company. So, Malaysians think they are Malaysian, Indians think Bata is Indian, and the Canadians think they are Canadian.

In Singapore, I think they were given pioneer status and thus big tax breaks to set up shop. They were also protected from competition in the initial years, which probably explained why we only wore Bata shoes in school.

One interesting detail about Bata is that British playwright Tom Stoppard (also one time husband of Miriam) was born in Singapore because of Bata - his father worked here as an executive of Bata.

Bata is a Swiss company. Over 100 years old worldwide MNC. Selling mid-range shoes, i.e. better than pasar malam shoes but cheaper than branded shoes.

Bata started from MaLaysia; where rubbers' were abound then.Even when i was staying in the quiet town
of Bentong, Pahang ; there was a Bata shoes' distributorship in town.

Thanks. Really long history. Thought it was a SG or MY brand. Anyway, me don't even wear BATA shoes, it's either Panda brand in primary school or Double Happiness when secondary school.

 

[Ramseth]

BATA also stands for Buy And Throw Away.

 

[halsey02]

I remember Magnolia but not the rest. For some reason it was not part of town that go often. I however do remember the Japanese restaurant with the fake dishes in the shop window. I would normally go to MPH and walloped the wanton mee at Nat Library.

Maybe we would have bumped into each other, & we don't even know at MPH, it was my the other library. Used to frequent MPH so often that the 'old lady' cashier, thought that I had eyes for her! Nat Library Wanton noodle is just ok with me, though I frequent Nat Library also, I prefer the Malay Food sold there. My favourite would be the Char Kway Teow at Armenian Street corner opposite where US Embassy used to be & not far from Mayfair Hotel (right?). I ate from the dad, when his boy was a BOY, until he became a man & have children of his own..gosh!, until the coffee shop is gone.

 

[halsey02]

One interesting detail about Bata is that British playwright Tom Stoppard (also one time husband of Miriam) was born in Singapore because of Bata - his father worked here as an executive of Bata.

I thought he was wearing BATA shoes while he was doing it, no? Who can forget, "First to BATA, then to school". It was almost every child's shoes for school, there were others, I remember buying a brand named "ARROW", that is packed in brown paper bag. Whereas BATA comes with a nice looking box. Then we used KIWI shoe whitening, in the past, it comes in a glass bottle with the blue cap and later in plastic bottle. The applicator with the sponge at the end, would gets clog up & desperate, we have to dip our fingers in the bottle and apply the whitening onto the canvas shoes.

 

[elephanto]

I think Swee Lee was closer to the Capitol Building Opposite the MRT exit, where they had all fast food restaurants.

Another music store i used to patronize is Kwang Sia Records in the old Cortina dept Store building (later house Legal Aid Bureau until it was torn down)

 

[Papsmearer]

Maybe we would have bumped into each other, & we don't even know at MPH, it was my the other library. Used to frequent MPH so often that the 'old lady' cashier, thought that I had eyes for her! Nat Library Wanton noodle is just ok with me, though I frequent Nat Library also, I prefer the Malay Food sold there. My favourite would be the Char Kway Teow at Armenian Street corner opposite where US Embassy used to be & not far from Mayfair Hotel (right?). I ate from the dad, when his boy was a BOY, until he became a man & have children of his own..gosh!, until the coffee shop is gone.

Wah lau, u so lazy hah? Just walk over to Waterloo Street, and there, u will find the bestest row of Indian rojak stores, mee goering, etc. Better any day than Wanton mee, and much better than the shit that passes for Indian Rojak today. Only downside is you have to sit with SJI faggots if they are there. On the other hand, also got possibility to see CHIJ Town Convent girls, and their sluttier neighbour St. Anthony convent girls. :-)

 

[GoldenDragon]

Not to mentioned the Indian Mutton Soup, thinking of it now, makes me salivate!! There were hawkers at the back lanes of Eu Court, was it LKY dentist used to be there?? They used to have very good Malay food, not the kind of crappy Malay Food we have today..real stuff.

LKY used to see the late Dr Poon KY at Specialist Centre. Even presented his dentist with a leather sofa.

 

[halsey02]

Wah lau, u so lazy hah? Just walk over to Waterloo Street, and there, u will find the bestest row of Indian rojak stores, mee goering, etc. Better any day than Wanton mee, and much better than the shit that passes for Indian Rojak today. Only downside is you have to sit with SJI faggots if they are there. On the other hand, also got possibility to see CHIJ Town Convent girls, and their sluttier neighbour St. Anthony convent girls. :-)

Waterloo Street Rojak, who haven't ate there? back then, we could only oogle at the pure, angelic, convent girls, it was like eating ham between a sheet of glass, a fantasy of many hormone driven school boys, could only salivate. But, a lucky few landed a handful of "naughty ones"...envy! ha ha ha