Starting a business takes courage and drive. To take it through decades of ups and downs requires commitment and a whole lot of grit. Three homegrown optical companies – Kwong Shin Optical, Jamco Optical and Pearl’s Optical – have all been in business for more than 40 years. They have experienced the rapid transformation of Singapore in the 1970s, grown with the country and navigated numerous challenges that come with changes in the economy, environment and society.

Kwong Shin Optical was founded by optometrist James Lam in 1976 but after his passing two years ago, the business is now managed by his wife, Annie Lam, 64, the director, and daughter, Lam Hui Li, 30, who also serves as an optometrist at the store. Before starting the business, the elder Lam worked in retail and at a relative’s optical shop.