Some 52 years ago, a man by the name of Loh Lum Wah travelled from China to Malaysia and established a medicine hall selling traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and herbal remedies here.

Three generations later, in Petaling Jaya’s New Town, a two-storey building has sprouted, the refurbished home of Tong Woh Enterprise.

Tong Woh has come a long way and today four bustling business entities are housed under one roof – the Tong Woh Medical Hall, Unicare Pharmacy, Tong Woh Fine Wines as well as a grocery section.

It can be overwhelming at first sight. Welcoming customers at the front and to the right is the oldest business, the Tong Woh Medical Hall, selling TCM.

To the left is a wide selection of wines and liquor by Tong Woh Fine Wines. Occupying the middle of the ground floor and to the back is the grocery section selling just about everything under the sun, and upstairs is the impressive Unicare Pharmacy offering Western medicines, wellness products and even routine health screenings.

As customers stream in and out, the helpful staff assist, helping them choose a bottle of fine wine, find a suitable hand sanitiser or pick up their weekly dose of traditional herbs.

“We had humble beginnings. My grandfather came from China and decided to open a traditional medicine hall.

“People also wanted convenience, and there was a demand for dried goods and sundries so the grocery part of the store was established in the 1960s,” Edna Loh told FMT. She is a dietitian and helps run Unicare Pharmacy upstairs.

Tong Woh began to blossom as a business as Lum Wah’s three sons began to develop their own interests.

Edna’s father, who graduated as a pharmacist in England and returned to Malaysia, added the Western medicine arm, Unicare Pharmacy, to Tong Woh Enterprise in 1986.

Earlier, in the 1970s, his two brothers ventured into the alcoholic beverage supply business and the importation of boutique wines, establishing Tong Woh Fine Wines.

Tong Woh Medical Hall has over 1,000 different herbs on sale. The crowd favourite is “Eight Treasure Soup” because the ingredients are fresh. The other popular TCM is pearl, which is mainly used to cure ailments such as a sore throat.

One might think that TCM would have lost its appeal, especially to the younger generation, but according to Edna, it is quite the reverse.

“It used to be only the elderly purchasing the herbs but they would tell their children to come here and their children would tell their friends. We have quite a wide profile of customers of all races.”

Tea addicts will definitely go crazy over the huge round blocks of finely ground tea in different flavours, known as compressed tea. This type of tea was commonly produced and consumed in ancient China prior to the Ming Dynasty.

“In our pharmacy, we even sell traditional products that are familiar to the elderly, such as Florida Water. People used to apply it because they believed it had antibacterial properties,” Edna said.

Edna told FMT the implementation of the Movement Control Order in March was a challenge.

“When we heard about the lockdown, that evening itself things were flying off the shelves. What sold the most was personal protective equipment, sanitisers, canned food, everything dried one could possibly think of and we had an issue with essentials such as bread, eggs and milk.

“We also began doing same-day deliveries, especially for our elderly customers who were unable to leave their homes.”

With over three generations taking care of Tong Woh Enterprise, Edna shares the highs and lows of serving its loyal customers.

“I think I have seen more than 10 babies from our customers who got married. It’s a magical and happy feeling when they share with you their stories and experiences.

“Sometimes, customers just come into the pharmacy to have a chat; that is how close we are. But the downside would be the deaths, especially for the pharmacy where we sell drugs to customers going through intense treatments.”

With Tong Woh Enterprise already more than half a century old, what else can customers expect?

Edna says the company is currently looking into adding more sustainable food products since more people are looking for products that are free of additives and ecologically friendly.

So, on the next visit to PJ New Town, stroll into Tong Woh Enterprise, and it might be the start of a whole new relationship.