Cipulir Market Left Empty as Buyers Disappear, Vendors' Plight Revealed

The condition of Cipulir Market in South Jakarta is now desolate, with customers disappearing one by one mysteriously. The market’s emptiness has been felt by vendors since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, some vendors at Cipulir Market have chosen to stay. They explained their reasons for continuing to trade there despite the dwindling customer base and frequent flooding during rainy seasons.

One such vendor is Susi, a seller of men’s shorts, who said she remains due to survival needs, even though her goods are now hard to sell.

“The reason for staying is to make a living. If I stop selling here, what will we live on? Sales aren’t as good as before; what sells today may not tomorrow, but we still want to hold on,” Susi told CNBC Indonesia on Friday, 29 May 2026.

Susi complained her sales have plummeted, with no guarantee of daily sales. In recent days, she has sold only a few pairs of shorts. “From Monday, nothing sold; Tuesday, one pair; Wednesday, none; Thursday, two pairs,” she explained.