Shoemakers face profit boom as holiday nears

Shoemakers face profit boom as holiday nears

Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Idul Fitri has always been a time of preparing gift baskets,
baking cookies and buying new clothes -- and shoes. Just stroll
along an alley near the Perbanas School of Economics in Kuningan,
South Jakarta, and a row of shoe stores are ready to welcome
prospective customers.

For Jakartan women, finding affordable, custom-made ladies'
shoes has not been difficult, but this year's Idul Fitri shopping
spree could be the last opportunity for customers, as the
landowner has decided not to extend their lease.

Ibu Iyah, the owner of Bill Boy, said she and other shoemakers
were told by the landlord about the plan in January.

"It's a shame, because this is one of the few places where
people can have custom-made shoes," she said. "It also supports
the sole livelihood of many cobblers."

Some of the stores are even holding a clearance sale, slashing
their prices by up to 70 percent.

"We're just emptying our stock before we close," said a store
clerk.

Iyah was slightly luckier, as she has found a new store nearby
to continue her business. She said she did not want to disappoint
customers who wanted to order special shoes for Idul Fitri.

"We will be open until Idul Fitri, but we will have moved by
the end of the year," she said.

Unfortunately, other landowners are taking advantage of the
shoemakers' plight and estimated holiday takings by increasing
their leases to about Rp 10 million (US$1,099) per year. The
shoemakers typical pay about Rp 2 million to Rp 3 million in
annual rent.

"The new kiosks are also smaller," Iyah said, pointing to a
three-by-three meter shop across hers, which is three meters by
five meters.

She is also considering a new location near Gunadharma
University in Depok, south of Jakarta, "because it's close to my
main customers -- university students".

Iyah, who has been selling ladies' shoes and bags for 18
years, said that ahead of Idul Fitri, sales and orders usually
climbed to about 50 pairs a day, compared to the 20 pairs a day
for the rest of the year. She sells her shoes for Rp 100,000 to
Rp 150,000.

"Business is always good around Idul Fitri. Many women's
magazines also buy or borrow my shoe collection for their
Ramadhan and Idul Fitri cover spread," she said in between
serving customers.

Rahmi, a regular at the store, described in detail the details
of the shoes she wanted: made of green silk she had brought
herself, the shoes were to have embroidery accents with a medium
heel and wide sole, so she would not get tire quickly in them.

Meanwhile, Winda, a Perbanas student who was shopping at
Iyah's store with friends, said she preferred to buy shoes at
stores along this Kuningan alleyway because they were cheap.

"It's obviously cheaper for students like us to buy shoes here
than at a boutique or a shopping mall," she said. "The quality
and the designs are also comparable to what they carry."

Ninis, a bank employee who is also a regular, said she liked
to shop at Iyah's store because she could get shoes tailored to
fit.

"The problem for women in buying shoes is finding the right
size of a pair that matches our outfit," she said, as she ordered
four pairs of shoes for Idul Fitri. "Here, if I cannot find the
shoes I'm look for, I can simply have them made."