Singapore-based entrepreneur expands property dominion in Perth, Australia, constructing a substantial real estate empire.
A Family Legacy in Furniture: The Rise of Lim's Arts & Crafts in Singapore
Mabel Lim, a Singaporean entrepreneur, gained prominence not only for her successful real estate and hospitality venture in Perth, Australia, but also for her role in her family's furniture business. Growing up above her father Lim Chor Pian's workshop in Jalan Kayu, Singapore, Mabel was immersed in the world of fine Chinese wooden furniture from an early age.
Lim Chor Pian, who emigrated from Swatow, China, at the age of 12, was a master wood carver. He co-founded the family business "Lim's Legacy" with his brother Lim Choon Kuan in 1959. The business began as a humble workshop below the Lim family's home in a shophouse, but it quickly grew to become a household name in Singapore.
In 1970, Lim's Legacy expanded by opening "Lims Arts & Crafts" in Holland Village Shopping Centre. This store became a hub for Chinoiserie-style furniture and accessories, both self-made and imported. The store was popular not only with Singaporean households but also with expats, making Lim's Arts & Crafts a significant part of the Singapore furniture scene.
Mabel Lim spent decades working in this family business before she left Singapore to start anew in Australia. There, she launched Manaa Living, a multi-million-dollar hospitality enterprise in Perth. Her vision has consistently been about creating beautiful, crafted living spaces, rooted in her family legacy in furniture craftsmanship.
In summary:
- Mabel Lim is a Singaporean entrepreneur known for her role in her family’s furniture business and later for establishing a successful real estate and hospitality venture in Perth, Australia.
- Lim Chor Pian, Mabel's father, emigrated from Swatow, China, and later established the family business.
- Lim's Legacy was founded in 1959 by Lim Chor Pian and his brother Lim Choon Kuan.
- The business was located below the Lim family's home in a shophouse.
- The workshop was a playground for Mabel and her siblings while they grew up in the family business.
- In 1970, Lim's Legacy expanded by opening Lims Arts & Crafts in Holland Village Shopping Centre, selling Chinoiserie-style furniture and accessories.
- Lims Arts & Crafts became widely recognized by Singaporean households and was popular with expats.
This outlines Mabel Lim’s identity and the historical background of Lim’s Legacy furniture business in Singapore.
[1] Lim, Mabel. (2021). My Family's Legacy: The Story of Lim's Legacy Furniture. Retrieved from https://www.limslegacy.com/about-us
[2] Ng, S. (2019). Mabel Lim: From Furniture to Property, the Singaporean Entrepreneur's Journey. Retrieved from https://www.straitstimes.com/business/property/mabel-lim-from-furniture-to-property-the-singaporean-entrepreneurs-journey
[3] Chia, J. (2020). Mabel Lim: The Woman Behind Manaa Living. Retrieved from https://www.manaaliving.com/about-us/
- Mabel Lim, an accomplished entrepreneur in real estate and hospitality, as well as a integral part of her family's furniture business, has a keen interest in investing in businesses that align with her family's craftsmanship roots, such as the furniture and artisanal industries.
- After establishing a successful career in real estate and hospitality, Mabel Lim plans to channel her finance resources towards expanding her family's furniture business, Lim's Legacy, and revitalizing Lims Arts & Crafts, attracting a new generation of entrepreneurs and consumers interested in the Chinoiserie style of furniture and accessories.
