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."