Shoemakers face profit boom as holiday nears<\/p>\n
Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Idul Fitri has always been a time of preparing gift baskets,
\nbaking cookies and buying new clothes -- and shoes. Just stroll
\nalong an alley near the Perbanas School of Economics in Kuningan,
\nSouth Jakarta, and a row of shoe stores are ready to welcome
\nprospective customers.<\/p>\n
For Jakartan women, finding affordable, custom-made ladies'
\nshoes has not been difficult, but this year's Idul Fitri shopping
\nspree could be the last opportunity for customers, as the
\nlandowner has decided not to extend their lease.<\/p>\n
Ibu Iyah, the owner of Bill Boy, said she and other shoemakers
\nwere told by the landlord about the plan in January.<\/p>\n
\"It's a shame, because this is one of the few places where
\npeople can have custom-made shoes,\" she said. \"It also supports
\nthe sole livelihood of many cobblers.\"<\/p>\n
Some of the stores are even holding a clearance sale, slashing
\ntheir prices by up to 70 percent.<\/p>\n
\"We're just emptying our stock before we close,\" said a store
\nclerk.<\/p>\n
Iyah was slightly luckier, as she has found a new store nearby
\nto continue her business. She said she did not want to disappoint
\ncustomers who wanted to order special shoes for Idul Fitri.<\/p>\n
\"We will be open until Idul Fitri, but we will have moved by
\nthe end of the year,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, other landowners are taking advantage of the
\nshoemakers' plight and estimated holiday takings by increasing
\ntheir leases to about Rp 10 million (US$1,099) per year. The
\nshoemakers typical pay about Rp 2 million to Rp 3 million in
\nannual rent.<\/p>\n
\"The new kiosks are also smaller,\" Iyah said, pointing to a
\nthree-by-three meter shop across hers, which is three meters by
\nfive meters.<\/p>\n
She is also considering a new location near Gunadharma
\nUniversity in Depok, south of Jakarta, \"because it's close to my
\nmain customers -- university students\".<\/p>\n
Iyah, who has been selling ladies' shoes and bags for 18
\nyears, said that ahead of Idul Fitri, sales and orders usually
\nclimbed to about 50 pairs a day, compared to the 20 pairs a day
\nfor the rest of the year. She sells her shoes for Rp 100,000 to
\nRp 150,000.<\/p>\n
\"Business is always good around Idul Fitri. Many women's
\nmagazines also buy or borrow my shoe collection for their
\nRamadhan and Idul Fitri cover spread,\" she said in between
\nserving customers.<\/p>\n
Rahmi, a regular at the store, described in detail the details
\nof the shoes she wanted: made of green silk she had brought
\nherself, the shoes were to have embroidery accents with a medium
\nheel and wide sole, so she would not get tire quickly in them.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Winda, a Perbanas student who was shopping at
\nIyah's store with friends, said she preferred to buy shoes at
\nstores along this Kuningan alleyway because they were cheap.<\/p>\n
\"It's obviously cheaper for students like us to buy shoes here
\nthan at a boutique or a shopping mall,\" she said. \"The quality
\nand the designs are also comparable to what they carry.\"<\/p>\n
Ninis, a bank employee who is also a regular, said she liked
\nto shop at Iyah's store because she could get shoes tailored to
\nfit.<\/p>\n
\"The problem for women in buying shoes is finding the right
\nsize of a pair that matches our outfit,\" she said, as she ordered
\nfour pairs of shoes for Idul Fitri. \"Here, if I cannot find the
\nshoes I'm look for, I can simply have them made.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/shoemakers-face-profit-boom-as-holiday-nears-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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