What is "shophouse"

n. (context Southeast Asia English) A building that has both retail and domestic use.

A shophouse is a vernacular architectural building type that is commonly seen in areas such as urban Southeast Asia. Shophouses are mostly two or three stories high, with a shop on the ground floor for mercantile activity and a residence above the shop. This mixed-use building form characterises the historical centres of most towns and cities in the Southeast Asia region.