Tang Choon Keng (; 12 September 1901 – 3 September 2000), colloquially known as CK Tang, was a Singaporean entrepreneur, who founded the Tangs department store in Singapore. Tang established Orchard Road as a premier retail district in Singapore. Early life A Teochew, Tang was born in early 20th century Shantou, China to a Presbyterian pastor. He emigrated to the British colony of Singapore in 1923. In Singapore, Tang peddled hand-made Swatow lace, embroidery and linen products. With a rented rickshaw, Tang carried his goods in a pair of tin trunks, which he kept long afterwards. Tang later became known as the "Tin Trunk Man" and the "Curio King" for his rags to riches story. Establishment of Tangs In 1932, Tang was able to embark on a larger venture. He established a department store in 1932 with an initial capital of S$3,000. Tang set up his first shop on the first floor of a building on River Valley Road, selling craft products from China. Subsequently, in 1940, Tang financed the construction of a new building at the corner of Jalan Mohamed Sultan and River Valley Road to house a new department store. He called the new edifice Gainurn Building, a variation of his father's name Tang Gan Urn. By the 1950s, CK Tang had opened several more branches. In 1958, Tang bought a 1,351-square metre piece of land at the corner of Orchard Road and Scotts Road at a cost of S$10,000 to further his vision of expanding his business. Although the site faced the Tai San Ting Cemetery, he felt that it had commercial value as many British housewives in the Tanglin area could stop by on their way to the city. The decision was made against the advice of fellow businessmen who thought Orchard Road was unfashionable then. Years later, when the Singapore Government designated and developed Orchard Road as a prime shopping and tourist district, the price of land soared from S$3 per m2 to S$6,000 per m2. With the acquired land plot, Tang constructed the landmark C.K. Tang Department Store (now rebranded as Tangs) at 310 Orchard Road at a cost of S$50,000. The building's green-tiled roof and facade was modelled after the Imperial Palace of the Forbidden City in Beijing. In 1960, Tang voluntarily closed the store due to problems with the trade unions, but Tangs was re-opened the following year. In 1975, Tang's company