How a community helped Giggles smile again
After a fire caused by an electrical fault destroyed his restaurant, Giggles, owner David Yap faced financial ruin. The local community rallied to support the business through donations and loans, allowing the team to begin the recovery process.
Why it matters
This story illustrates the resilience of small businesses and the vital role of community support in disaster recovery.
When fire forced PJ café Giggles to close, the team refused to give up - and found unexpected strength in the support of the community. (Giggles pic)
PETALING JAYA: "Boss, everything is on fire!"
Those were the words that jolted David Yap awake one morning in May when one of his staff video-called him from Giggles, the restaurant-café he had opened just a year earlier.
"I couldn't even see him (on the video) because of the thick smoke. It was that bad. I immediately told him to stay calm, called 999 and rushed to the outlet," Yap, 37, told FMT Lifestyle.
When he arrived 10 minutes later, his staff emerged from the outlet, exhausted after emptying three fire extinguishers in a desperate attempt to save the space.
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