Growing up, Brillyn saw how their second-hand furniture store, Hock Siong and Co. was built from scratch by her father, Mr Toh Chin Siong. Mr Toh had started out collecting used newspapers as a karung guni (rag-and-bone man), but opportunity came knocking when a hotel undergoing renovation wanted to sell off their used furniture. It was the stepping stone for him to branch into reselling second-hand furniture. 

(Photo by Type A)

Unwanted, but still useful 

As a young girl, Brillyn would help her father collect used goods. This was a memory that greatly influenced her decision to help out with the family business. “My dad and the other senior staff inspire me — they saw the potential to inject new life to old items that we could have easily thrown away,” she recalls.

Now a managing partner of Hock Siong, the 35-year old continues to source for furniture from all across Singapore. Brillyn regularly carries out site visits at places like hotels and even dilapidated bungalows to collect unwanted furniture. 

“Some of the furniture we collect may appear worn out, but we will assess the sturdiness of their structure to decide if they can be refurbished,” she explains. “Through our business, we hope to promote conscious consumerism, to counter today’s buy-and-throw culture.”