From Blizzard to Beers

Now selling Duff Beer
Image from hungrygowhere

One reason i do not consider myself atas, aside from the obvious fact that there isnt much in the bank, is that i do not know how to appreciate wine.  I do like beer though, and am even willing to glug down a tiger beer. Anyway, i digress.  it seems that there are actually more than a few dudes who have made the leap from air-conditioned office to the sweaty confines of a hawker stall.  Today's post is on Mr Daniel Goh, who went from a dream job at Blizzard to selling craft beers at good old Hong Lim Food Centre, home of excellent char kuay teow, crayfish bee hoon, fish soup, muffins, prawn mee, char siew, curry chicken noodles.. oops here i go again.

It never seemed likely for Mr Goh to end up as a hawker.  He first started from PR at Samsung, before moving to Blizzard where he handled PR for the South East Asian region.  Just let that sink in for a moment. Blizzard! Home of Warcraft, Starcraft and Diablo.  And according to this interview, Mr Goh himself was an avivd World of Warcraft player, which really makes the job seem really sweet.

As life in the private sector goes, Blizzard underwent a restructuring exercise and as Mr Goh was unwilling to be relocated to Shanghai, he opted to be retrenched instead.  However, it was here that he took the path less traveled.  He didnt look for another PR job, but followed his heart to plug a gap in our hawker food - good beer!

Craft beer and hawker fare pair perfectly.   - Daniel Goh

In addition, a hawker store had less start up costs than a full-service bar.  Hence, armed with a capital of $50,000, he set up the Good Beer Company at the famed Hong Lim Food Centre, where he often had breakfast when he was young.

Prices range from $8 to $20, and this is rather steep for a hawker centre.  Mr Goh also faces challenges in winning over skeptical beer distributors, who question whether their craft beers will sell in a hawker centre.  Looking at it from another perspective, prices are 40% cheaper than most pubs, and together with affordable hawker food, Mr Goh believes that there is overall good value.

The store has been up and running for over 2 years now, as it seems that it is a functional business model.  it also helps that he has been earning rave reviews from all quarters, with hungrygowhere giving a 5 star rating.

i guess one motivation for hawkers everywhere is the satisfaction from having customers who appreciate your wares.  Mr Goh is no exception, and has cited customers who find a much-loved beer at his store.  Motivation is definitely need in this job, which comes along with 12-hour days and cramped workspaces.

A big thumbs up, and best wishes to the man.

You can also find him putting his PR skills to use on Twitter and Facebook.  Mr Goh also has a tumblr page which he updates quite regularly.

The Good Beer Company | Blk 335 Smith Street #02-58,Singapore 050335 (Chinatown Complex Market and Food Centre) | Open Mon-Sat 6-10pm