• Bugis Street was named after the Bugis people, who are part of the wider Malay community. Shortly after the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles in Singapore, a group of 500 Bugis arrived in Singapore to engage in trade. They mainly settled in Kampong Bugis, an area extending from Kampong Glam to the Rochor River. This was also where Bugis Street was located.
• In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the area around Bugis Street was a red-light district with many brothels and prostitutes, first from Europe, then later from Japan, until the trade was banned in 1920.
• As Bugis Street was little more than a back alley in the 1950s, the place was poorly lit. For this reason, the local Cantonese referred to it colloquially as hak gai, meaning “dark street”.
• From the 1950s to the early 1980s, Bugis Street was a popular night hangout spot, famous for its food and night performances, especially by drag queens. Street gangs and fights were also common in the area, especially later at night.
• By the end of the 1980s, Bugis Street was demolished as part of the Urban Renewal Plan. In the mid-1990s, in consideration of the social and cultural significance of the original Bugis Street, the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board (now Singapore Tourism Board) developed a pedestrian mall across the road from where it formerly stood, in an effort to recall the street’s former glory. This pedestrian mall was also named Bugis Street.
• Bugis Junction, which houses Singapore’s largest indoor air-conditioned shopping street, was built in 1996. There are four shopping streets within the mall, one of which is where the old Bugis Street used to be.

With the relaxation of COVID-19 measures, weekend crowds have returned to Bugis Street. However, business owners say business on weekdays is still slow. Besides shortening their operating hours, they have also had to offer deeper discounts to attract customers. (Shin Min Daily News, 11/4/2022)