Orange & Teal café founded by SDP’s Chee Soon Juan to close after four years

Orange & Teal, the café established by Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) leader Dr Chee Soon Juan, will cease operations after more than four years in business.

The announcement, posted early on 11 November on both Dr Chee’s and the café’s official Facebook pages, said that Orange & Teal would “conclude our journey,” though it did not specify a final day of operations.

In its statement, the café’s management expressed gratitude to supporters and staff, describing the closure as “a chapter concluded with gratitude and optimism.”

They added that they were “just as happy to leave it on our own terms—knowing that its spirit of courage, warmth, and connection will live on.”

To mark its closure, Orange & Teal will host a “cash & carry” sale from 11 to 13 November, allowing customers to purchase items from the café’s décor between 11am and 7pm each day.

TOC understand that the closure of Orange & Teal café does not affect the Orange and Teal Social Enterprise Co-operative (OTSEC), which remains in the approval stage.

Announced in May by Dr Chee, the OTSEC aims to empower workers and small businesses through shared ownership as a grassroots alternative to the PAP-NTUC economic model.

From political dream to community space

Orange & Teal first opened its doors on 25 June 2021 at Rochester Mall in Buona Vista, marking an unexpected venture into the food and beverage sector by the SDP chief.

At the time, Dr Chee described the café as a “long-term dream” shared with his wife.

Their vision was to create a venue where Singaporeans could “come together for a meal and intelligent discussion, even impassioned debate.”

The café’s slogan, “Where the conversation’s even better”, was engraved above the entrance, and the interior featured shelves filled with books — including Dr Chee’s own publications.

On opening day, reports noted strong turnout, with several menu items sold out by lunchtime.

Challenges of running a small business

Over the years, Dr Chee was candid about the challenges of managing a small café, from high rental and manpower shortages to the “back-breaking” nature of the work.

He also used the café as a means to support the community, offering free meals to cardboard collectors from Chinatown and migrant workers.

Marking its first anniversary in 2022, Orange & Teal refreshed its menu to elevate its culinary offerings. The café attracted visits from several opposition politicians, including Workers’ Party Chair Sylvia Lim and Progress Singapore Party Chair Tan Cheng Bock.

Expansion and contraction

In August 2022, Orange & Teal expanded by opening a second outlet at Marina Square, signalling growing confidence in the brand. However, that outlet closed in October 2024, citing rising costs as the primary reason for the decision.

The closure left the original Rochester Mall branch as the café’s sole remaining outlet — until this week’s announcement of its final chapter.

Though the café’s journey is ending, the tone of the announcement suggested that this may not be Dr Chee’s last venture in hospitality or community engagement.

The post concluded with a hopeful message: “This is not goodbye, only until next time. As they say: epilogue is prologue.”