Drury Heritage is located on Jalan Sang Guna, a quiet side lane just off Petaling Street. Known in older records as Drury Lane, the street likely emerged in the late 1890s to early 1900s as Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown began to take shape.

The name "Drury Lane" probably echoed British colonial influence, mirroring London's Drury Lane. Today the official name is Jalan Sang Guna — but the lane remembers both.

Locals also know the area as Madras Lane — famous for its wet market and breakfast stalls (like the long‑running curry noodle). People came for a haircut, breakfast, or to buy temple offerings for prayer. Modest shops, strong energy, daily rhythm.

Our unit at 1 Jalan Sang Guna lived many lives — once a Chinese hair salon (the faint "Hong Kong" lettering still lingers), later a bak kut teh shop. After the pandemic, shutters came down and silence moved in.

In early 2024, DBKL began upgrading the lane — removing illegal structures, relaying pavements, and raising a new timber archway. More is coming: heritage signboards, lighting, greenery. The street began to breathe again. That's when we knew it was time to play our part: not just open a café, but restore and revive a place worth remembering.

"We didn't just choose this shop. In a way, it chose us." — Tim Loo

References: The Star (Jan 2024)

If walls could speak, this front would tell stories of open shutters and neighbours greeting each other along the five‑foot way. By the time we stepped in, those layers were hidden under cement and aluminium — the face of the street had gone quiet.

We peeled back additions and followed the clues: a faint arch line, shutter marks, proportions echoed across old Chinatown homes. We rebuilt with respect — hand‑crafted wooden shutters, a rounded arched doorway, and simple iron grillework. No excess; just the essentials returned.

• Before: sealed cement wall, aluminium sliding doors, faded signage
• After: timber shutters, arched entry, heritage grillework
• Materials: Balau wood, hand‑bent iron, textured limewash

"We didn't want a façade that shouts. We wanted one that remembers." — Tim Loo

The first time we stepped inside… we didn't want to stay. The air was still. The space felt unsafe. We wondered if the brickwork might give way. Stairs were worn thin; upstairs the timber platform dipped. The roof felt heavy, as if water had been slipping through for years.

We cleared debris, then chipped away plaster and wall tiles. Beneath it all: raw, honest brick — red with age, still strong. That became our compass.

What we preserved

• Original brick walls (ground & first floor)
• Most timber joists — seasoned hardwood, still solid after 100+ years
• Large portions of the roof's wooden frame

What we renewed

• Staircase rebuilt in original alignment (Merbau)
• Rear passage opened for air and access
• Entire first‑floor platform reconstructed in Balau

"We didn't come to 'fix' it. We came to listen to what was still standing — and follow that." — Tim Loo

We didn't set out just to open a café. We saw a space long overlooked — a lane with history, a shoplot with memory — and felt it deserved a second chance. This began as a family vision: to honour what came before and shape something meaningful for what comes next.

Some people build businesses. Some build brands. We wanted to build a pause — a place to stop, breathe, and feel something again in the middle of the city.

What we want people to feel

• 🍴 Satisfied by the food
• ☕ Connected by the drinks
• 🧘 At ease in the environment
• 📸 Inspired by the heritage

It's a modern kopitiam for the city soul — for the curious guest, the photographer, the mural‑walker who finds the terrace, the friends who need a slow hour, and the café‑goer who wants context with their cup.

"We didn't just choose this shoplot. In some way, it chose us — and we're here to help it speak again." — Tim Loo

You can see the restored window and door frame. You can feel the texture of the walls. The light flows through the front windows. The basic façade complete.

But just beyond the door, the story isn't over yet. Inside, the space is still waiting. Not empty — just careful. Thoughtful. Measured.

We've come far from where we started. And now, we're in the final stretch — the part where decisions feel smaller, but matter even more. Touch-ups. Testings. Quiet checks.

We aren't rushing. Because after all it's been through, this place deserves a patient hand.

🔧 What's Happening Now

• Final sealing of the Balau timber platform on the first floor
• New wooden staircase nearing completion
• Rear toilet structure at rear in progress
• Electrical points, lighting, and ceiling fans soon will be fitted
• Interior layout marked for café flow

🔜 What's Coming Next

• Bar counter and café kitchen setup
• Equipment placement and final plumbing
• Signboard installation, internal styling, café menu finishing
• Staff hiring and orientation
• Menu testing and dry-run sessions
• Addition of plants, lights, and sound for atmosphere

📸 Visual Progress

• Red timber archway now stands at the street entrance
• Cement-plastered façade, with restored green grille vents above
• Interior joists cleaned and reinforced
• Raw brickwork walls kept visible
• Rear RC toilet structure under roof

"People ask — when's opening? We say: soon. Because we want it not just ready, but whole." — Tim Loo, Drury Heritage

"A Place to Pause, Connect, and Return To"

Drury Heritage isn't a grand hall.
It's not a spectacle.
It's something quieter — and more lasting.

This isn't just another café.
It's a space to pause.
To feel something.
To remember how it used to be…
And to savour what's been carefully brought back.

Right here, in the heart of Chinatown,
on a lane once known as Drury Lane.

🍂 What You'll Step Into

• Over a century of brickwork, now visible again
• Wooden shutters that open gently to the street below
• A timber platform rebuilt to remember, not just function
• Soft air, quiet tones, warm lighting — all meant to slow you down

🍛 Food & Drink

• Signature items: Nasi lemak, satay, mee hoon, toast, soft buns, croissants
• Kuih selection: over 15 heritage types, served fresh daily
• Drinks: Local kopi, western coffee, iced cham, herbal tea, seasonal specials

🦮 The Space

• Ground floor: Café counter, dine-in seating
• First floor: Lounge-style area, mural-facing windows
• Terrace: Heritage open-air corner with view of Merdeka 118

📐 Everything from the floor plan to the counter height has been designed with intention.

🧑‍🍳 The Team

Small. Sincere. Soft-spoken.
You won't hear shouting, rushing, or café clatter.
Just calm service. Gentle smiles.
A welcome that feels like a return.

📢 Launch Info

• Soft launch: Targeting November 2025
• Channels:
  • Website: druryheritage.com.my
  • TikTok & Instagram: @druryheritage
  • Google Maps: Jalan Sang Guna, Kuala Lumpur

"We're not here to be the busiest spot. We're here to be a place that people remember — and want to return to."
— Tim Loo, Drury Heritage