Dessert lovers in Singapore are in for a bitter month ahead, with two longstanding stores shuttering in August.
Pantler, a patisserie in River Valley known for its Japanese-French desserts, is set to close on Aug 30 unless its owners can find someone to take over the business.
In an Instagram post on Thursday (Aug 6), Pantler announced the upcoming closure and thanked customers for supporting them for the past 12 years.
It added that being a part of customers’ special occasions and ordinary days was a privilege.
“More than anything else, we’re grateful for the trust you’ve placed in us over the past decade and more. Thank you for letting us be a small part of your lives,” Pantler said.
Pantler’s co-founder Matthias Phua told The Straits Times the closure is a result of rising operating costs and a challenging environment.
“After giving it a lot of thought, we’ve decided it’s time to explore what’s next rather than continue on the same path.”
Matthias, who started the business with fellow Grand Hyatt Tokyo and Joel Robuchon Singapore alumni Tomoharu Morita, said the owners hope to find someone who sees value in continuing the brand.
This could be an existing operator, a hospitality group or an entrepreneur looking to build on an established business, he added.
AsiaOne has reached out to Matthias for more information.
Meanwhile, Laurent Cafe and Chocolatier at Robertson Quay will be shuttering next week due to financial difficulties.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, owner Laurent Bernard said that the shop will be closing on the same day and expressed disappointment as well as regret in not being able to bid customers a proper goodbye.
“It has been quite a journey. We hope the time you spent here will forever be remembered and cherished,” he wrote.
In a follow-up post the next day, Laurent shared that a longtime customer had helped cover the rent for the cafe to remain open until Aug 12.
“At such difficult times, the kindness we received from everyone has truly been an encouragement,” said Laurent, who opened the cafe in 2006 and has been running it since.
“We can’t express how grateful we are for the generous help of our friends, and the heartwarming messages we are getting.”
The business owner and chef told 8Days that the closure was due to the “financial burden” of running the business, adding that he had been given seven days to vacate the premises over outstanding rent.
According to Laurent, the building that the cafe is located in recently underwent a change in ownership. He added that the new landlord will only allow the store to remain if he can pay 12 months’ rent in advance.
The cafe had been struggling with reduced foot traffic in the area and rising rental costs, Laurent added.
AsiaOne has reached out to Laurent for more information.
These closures follow that of Tarte by Cheryl Koh, which shuttered in April after operating for 11 years.
Former Odette lead pastry chef Louisa Lim, on the other hand, opened her own dessert atelier in July.
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bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com
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