Business on-the-rise at Kebayoran Lama flea market
JAKARTA (JP): Three months after moving to their new trading site at the Kebayoran Lama market complex on Jl. Stasiun in South Jakarta, business for former traders of Taman Puring flea market has started to pick up.
At about 9:30 a.m. on Thursday when several vendors selling used goods were about to open their businesses, dozens of prospective customers had already crowded the market, at which numerous kinds of used items are sold.
Tiar Bahtiar, 36, one vendor who had finished arranging his wares, such as used tapes, door knobs and various electronic components, said that business at the market had improved recently.
"It was such a very difficult time when we first came here. Now many people know about this place," Tiar told The Jakarta Post.
Tiar was one of hundreds of used goods vendors who previously traded at South Jakarta's Taman Puring. The traders were relocated earlier this year to the new site following the city administration's decision to restore the park to a green area.
The official inauguration of their new trading site was led by State Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Zarkasih Nur on April 21, 2000.
Martha, another trader who sells and buys various used items including shoes, tapes and tape recorders, said that he could earn Rp 50,000 (US$5.60) a day at the new place.
"A few months ago my turnover was very low," he said.
The traders, however, said their turnover had yet to match what they made at Taman Puring.
"My turnover could reach Rp 100,000 or even Rp 150,000 a day at Taman Puring," Martha said.
Slamet Haryono, a PVC pipe seller, said he now took in Rp 30,000 to Rp 50,000 a day at the new venue.
"At Taman Puring I got Rp 100,000," Slamet said.
The new flea market is located only two meters from the Jakarta-Serpong railway line. Several used clothes vendors display their merchandise too close to the railway.
Some vendors sell their merchandise outside of the kiosks, which were specially built for the traders.
Martha, who sells his merchandise on plastic sheeting, said he did not have to pay any rent for his business space.
Meanwhile, traders who occupy the kiosks are charged Rp 1,000 per day for the two-by-1.5-meter kiosks.
With the number of secondhand goods vendors increasing, customers can find many items no longer available at regular stores.
One vendor offers a wide range of Dutch coins dating back to the 1700s as well as used cellular phone subscriber identity modules (SIMs).
Forty-five-year-old Yanto has a Super 8 camera on display at his kiosk. It has a Rp 100,000 price tag.
"But I don't know whether it's still working or not. I bought it from a high school kid who looked like a drug addict," Yanto said.
One kiosk selling used cellular phones also offers services to unlock personal identification numbers of cellular phones.
Most cellular phones have personal identification numbers for security purposes, but the feature makes it difficult for cell phone thieves to sell the stolen items if they cannot provide buyers with the numbers.
Visitors to the flea market do not go there only to buy used goods. They also sell to vendors.
A young man at Martha's place was offering the vendor a pair of shoes and several tapes.
"What kind of music are they?" Martha asked the young man.
"Slow music. Unforgettable by Natalie Cole and some others," the young man replied.
"No, no. It's difficult to sell tapes of slow music. You're a young man, don't you have rock tapes?" Martha said, forcing the young man to leave the vendor with a grin in his face. (08)