Tribe Theory guides people along paths of entrepreneurship trodden by founders of institutions in Singapore like schools and businesses. This pioneering spirit continues today with food entrepreneurs in Maxwell and Amoy, and tech startups in the area. Chow Ah Chey, Singapore's first entrepreneur, founded Singapore's first clan associations and purchased the building Tribe Theory is located in. He is also credited with planting the East India Company flag in Singapore and helping establish the treaty between the Temenggong and Raffles. Nearby, the Ee Hoe Hean Club and Goh Loo Club were founded in the early 1900s and were gathering places for important figures in Singaporean history.

1. Welcome to Tribe Theory where we guide you along the well-worn paths to
myriad forms of entrepreneurship that have left their marks on history and the
surrounding landscape. In this neighborhood, you will be able to follow in the
steps of the founders of entrepot Singapore, Ann Siang Hill, Thong Chai Medical
Institution, Anglo-Chinese School, Singapore Chinese Girls' School, Ee Hoe Hean
Club, Goh Loo Club, Eu Yan Sang, Tao Nan School, OAC Insurance, OCBC,
Xiamen University, The Chinese High School, Nan Chiau High School, Yishun
and more. This pioneering spirit has been inherited by the food entrepreneurs of
Maxwell and Amoy, the hipster entrepreneurs of Everton Park and the startup
technopreneurs and lifestyle/design entrepreneurs in the vicinity.

2. Chow Ah Chey – Singapore’s first entrepreneur
Chow Ah Chey (曹亚志) who was a migrant-carpenter
from Guangdong province, founded Singapore's first
bloodline and hometown clan associations which
purchased the building Tribe Theory resides in. Chinese
legend also has it that Ah Chey, led the initial
expedition and first planted the East India Company
flag on Singapore soil. He is also said to have been the
comprador and translator for the Treaty between the
Temenggong and Sir Stamford Raffles which gave birth
to Singapore. As his reward, the British gave him land
that he used to establish two of Singapore's earliest
companies/gongsi (公司). One of which, the Ning Yeung
Wui Kuan (宁阳会馆) has used this shophouse at 39
Ann Siang Road both as an investment property and
clan association since 1927.
39 Ann Siang and 38 Club street
The Ee Hoe Hean Club (怡和轩俱乐部）which was based at 38 Club Street in the early 1900s was
cofounded by luminaries such as Gan Eng Seng (颜永成), Lim Boon Keng (林⽂庆), Lim Nee Soon
(林义顺) and Tan Cheng Siong (陈桢祥) the father of Tan Chin Tuan (Chairman of ten blue-chip
companies for decades) and grand-father of Tony Tan (7th President of Singapore). Even Sun Yatsen
(孙中⼭）and Jawaharlal Nehru（贾⽡哈拉尔·尼赫鲁）came on learning trips to the club
before founding their republics. Its younger sister the Goh Loo Club at 70 Club Street was known as
the 'Banker's Institute' and was led by Lim Boon Keng and Lee Kong Chian ( 李光前). The murals of
Tribe Theory and the Goh Loo Club were created by Benny Ong a famous designer-artist.