PUBLISHED ONNovember 02, 2026 9:18 AMBYCarol OngSad about New Horse Noodles' closure at Chinatown Complex Food Centre?
Well, here's some good news for fans of the Hakka yong tau foo stall — it's not closing after all.
In a social media post on Oct 23, co-owner Scott Lee, 29, announced that he had decided to continue running the business, just weeks after he and his older brother Troy, 31, said that they would be hanging up their aprons.
However, only Scott would continue working at the stall as his sibling bowed out.
So, what prompted the sudden change of heart?
According to Scott, the closure announcement had attracted considerable attention, drawing more customers to the stall.
This included both regulars and first-time customers — many of whom expressed to the young hawker that it was "a waste" for the brothers to give up on the business selling handmade Hakka yong tau foo and Malaysian-style dry noodles.
Some even offered help and suggested possible ways to keep the business going, the 29-year-old shared.
The overwhelming support made Scott reflect on his journey running New Horse Noodles.
Scott explained that one of the reasons for the closure was that the hawker lifestyle did not suit him, and he had assumed that hiring someone to ease the workload would take "quite a bit of time".
But after giving it some thought, he realised he might not have to wait at all.
"Why is it that I have to wait very long before I can hire someone if the business is already profitable? Why can't I do it now?" he asked himself.
With the additional help, the hawker felt he could have more time for himself while focusing on the aspects of running the business that he enjoyed, such as interacting with customers and creating content.
"I see this trade as something more than just food. I see it as I'm building relationships with all my customers and that's the part that I love the most," he explained.
"I feel like this thing is a simple idea but it just kind of flew over my head."
After several sleepless nights thinking things through, Scott decided to withdraw his closure notice and continue operating New Horse Noodles.
Troy, meanwhile, will be pursuing a different path in the software field.
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But despite the change of plans, Scott was careful not to make any promises about the stall's future.
"We can't promise that we will be here forever," he said.
Instead, he plans to take things "one month at a time", depending on customer response and whether he feels it remains worthwhile to continue running the stall.
Taking the opportunity to thank everyone for their support, Scott said: "I just really want to thank all of you for all the support and love that you guys have given us over this period of time."
"You guys have no idea how much love and support we have received."
On Oct 27, Scott said that he has since hired an assistant, and will be updating the stall's operating hours from five days a week to six days a week to make up for the extra expenditure.
"I hired an assistant, there will be additional costs as well, so I really have to figure out a way to earn more to make this business sustainable and profitable."
New Horse Noodles opened at Chinatown Complex Food Centre in June, after brothers Scott and Troy left their careers in finance to pursue their passion for food.
They trained under an 85-year-old Hakka hawker in Malacca for 10 days before bringing her recipes to Singapore.
Address: 335 Smith Street, #02-148, Singapore 050335
Opening hours: 9am to 2pm (Saturday to Thursday)
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