At three in the morning, Mustafa's aisles still hum with shoppers buying saris, suitcases and saffron.
No shop in Singapore has a stronger legend. Mustafa grew from handkerchiefs sold beside a family food shop in 1971 into a garment shop, then a row of shophouses converted into a department store; by 1995 it was known as Mustafa Centre. In 2003 it became the first local department store to open 24 hours a day. Hours were cut during the pandemic, and round-the-clock trading resumed on 6 September 2024.
Its reputation is for selling just about everything: diamonds and watches, cameras and electronics, appliances and luggage, cheap clothing and sari fabrics, skincare, confectionery and fresh food, piled high across a warren of floors, with a supermarket too. Come for spices, Indian sweets, gold and a suitcase for the extra shopping; vacuum-packed spice blends travel well.
