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Mr Bernard Cher, 32, owns M Workshop, a scale modelling hobby shop at Sunshine Plaza in Bencoolen Street.
His business is a labour of love. He set it up with a loan from his mother, who was initially sceptical about him not getting a normal job with his engineering degree.
He sells model kits mostly of military aircraft and tanks, plus sci-fi robots. Business has dropped 40 per cent since the recession, but he is hanging tough and has plans for new lines next year.
'The market is not really as bad as I initially thought. Definitely, sales have dropped but there are fluctuations, depending on arrivals of new products.
The yen fell slightly against the Singapore dollar so I've started importing Japanese goods again.
I'm conservative for this year, so no major moves so far. I've decided to keep a low profile, except for organising small workshops every two months. I'm focusing on other things such as re-working my website after seven years.
I'll also be looking into merchandising - selling military-themed T-shirts and paraphernalia - but that will come next year when things pick up.
One thing that hurts my business is actually the Great Singapore Sale because consumer spending patterns change when there are sales everywhere. People channel their income into mainstream retail products.
It doesn't help that bonuses have been cut, especially in the case of civil servants. This is, after all, a luxury goods business so people spend only their extra income here.
As for competitions, the best military modelling competitions are in Europe but because it's just too expensive to travel there, I have to cut down on them.
Despite all the challenges, I will trudge on because Singapore is a high-stress society and I see scale modelling as therapy.
I hope to not only promote it as art but also as a channel for people to fight stress and break the monotony of work.'
Tan Yi Hui
This article was first published in The Straits Times.
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