An afternoon at Plaza Indonesia
An afternoon at Plaza Indonesia
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
Sitting on the floor between shelves of books, a couple of
young people pored over a thick tome. They slowly turned the
pages, engrossed in what they were reading.
Not far away, a young woman looked over a shelf of books while
sipping a coffee from Starbucks. The woman, Lia, 20, is a student
at Parahyangan University in Bandung, West Java.
"I came here with my friends. I just arrived from Bandung,"
she told The Jakarta Post at the Times bookstore in Plaza
Indonesia on Tuesday.
Lia said this was not her first visit to Plaza Indonesia,
which she always makes time to visit when in Jakarta.
"I also plan to watch a movie at eX. I haven't been there
since it opened," Lia said, referring to the uniquely designed
entertainment center adjacent to the shopping center. eX opened
in February 2004.
That Tuesday afternoon, people from all different backgrounds
and professions visited Plaza Indonesia, on a specific chore or
simply to browse.
A group of teenagers talked with an employee at a cellular
phone outlet on the ground floor. A couple and their two children
enjoyed a meal at a fast-food restaurant.
Employees from nearby office buildings lined up to pay for
their goodies at the popular Bread Talk outlet.
A group of trendily dressed girls came out of a clothes store
and strolled to the eX entertainment center.
Another visitor, Ali Imron, 29, said he came to Plaza
Indonesia because the shopping center had everything you needed.
Like a sociologist, Ali said the mall had become a "playground"
for Jakartans, at least the wealthy ones.
"I only come here to look around and sometimes to buy
underwear or bath soap. For shirts, I go somewhere cheaper," he
said.
Ali is absolutely right. Plaza Indonesia is a favorite haunt
for wealthy Jakartans looking for the best and latest products to
meet their lifestyle needs. And to mark its 15th anniversary,
Plaza Indonesia is giving customers who make a purchase from
March 10 to April 10 the chance to win a Volvo S60 sedan in a
lucky draw.
For any purchase of at least Rp 500,000 (US$53), customers
will receive a coupon for the lucky draw. The winner will be
announced on April 18.
People come to Plaza Indonesia for a variety of purposes. Some
want to buy a book at Aksara, Periplus, Times or Kinokuniya, or
go clothes shopping at any number of outlets, or simply to enjoy
a cup of coffee and a chat with colleagues at one of the numerous
cafes in the mall.
Others come to watch a movie, buy a CD or work out at
Celebrity Fitness. The 2,400-square-meter gym boasts 175 fitness
equipment items. If you sign up now, you will receive a discount
membership fee. The fee will be increased starting April 1.
The prominence of Plaza Indonesia was evident during the
celebration of its anniversary on Tuesday evening.
The voice of MC Tantowi Yahya echoed as he greeted guests
attending an anniversary party at La Moda Cafe.
About 300 invited guests -- ambassadors, celebrities, tenants
and business partners -- enjoyed a musical performance and model
parade during the party.
Sitting in the corner of a fast-food restaurant, I remembered
something Ali Imron had told me.
For the wealthy, Plaza Indonesia makes dreams come true. For
the rest, Plaza Indonesia is just a place to buy underwear.