Nestled within Peninsula Shopping Centre is Retrokulture – a nostalgic retreat founded by Jon, aka Mr. Worldwide. Why the title? Well, that’s because the wide assortment of vintage timepieces, memoirs, photographs, and collectibles you can find at his store are sourced from all over the globe over several years.
As you enter, don’t forget to look up and scrutinise all four walls. You’ll find several archival photographs that you have likely not seen before. Also, rare one-of-a-kind timepieces, posters, and random retro shenanigans. Each tells a unique story, ask and you’ll find out!
A little bit of history
Jon shares that this store is a revival of his first vintage shop from 1991 that he had halted for almost two decades. During Covid-19, he revisited his collection again and decided all these gems had to see the light of day, thus leading to the birth of this time capsule.
His gallery started with the purchase of a small cabinet to store all his stuff, tucked in a corner of his mom’s furniture shop. With a background in product design, he developed a keen interest in the design and historical aspects of various products and began collecting old clocks and cameras from a young age. He also actively participated in Clarke Quay's old flea markets, where he interacted with fellow collectors and traded collectibles. While vintage watches were his primary focus, his collection gradually expanded to encompass a diverse array of items, shaping it into what it is today.
“It’s been a journey, I must say. I collect everything, but I favour more of the post-war stuff. Not everyone knows the worth of all these items, but I do,” Jon says.
