The article “‘I am not giving up’: Thambi Magazine Store owner seeking new Holland Village site after closure” (May 5) stirred up many mixed feelings and thoughts.

Have we become cold and indifferent to the pieces of our history and heritage that are rapidly disappearing in the move to upgrade and modernise?

The escalating costs of running a business, including rentals for small businesses like this, are endangering their existence and driving them to extinction.

Thambi Magazine Store is worth preserving. Besides the sentimental and emotional feelings many have for the store, there are broader reasons why we should preserve it and give it a special place in the heart of Holland Village where it has stood with quiet dignity for eight decades.

Not many businesses this size, run by the same family, can survive that long, through times of turbulence and peace. The store is a lesson in resilience, survival and true grit.

It took much strength, perseverance and a positive spirit to sustain this unique store through three generations. We salute the generations of Sam’s family who made this possible.

Preserving the store will give the young much to learn from and bring comfort to older customers.

Such old familiar sights and businesses give many people a sense of familiarity, belonging and continuity.

These are the threads that run in the fabric of our society, the gel that binds people together, especially amid the hectic, changing pace of Singapore.

I appeal to commercial landlords, merchants and others in Holland Village to consider offering a viable retail space to Sam for his magazine store.

This will help preserve such heritage and retain an icon that has endeared itself to many Singaporeans.

We stand to lose more than what can be gained by letting it disappear into history.

Ho Ting Fei (Dr)