Story of Husband and Wife Alternating Shifts to Keep Their Madura Stall Open 24 Hours

In a small stall in the Pasar Minggu area of South Jakarta, time never truly stops. While some people are asleep, others remain awake behind the display counter. It is not a high-paid employee or an automated system, but a husband-and-wife duo who alternate shifts to keep the Madura stall open 24 hours a day. Husen Karim (51) and his wife Ria (45) manage the stall with this rhythm every day. When one rests, the other takes over. Husen started his business in 2012 after migrating from Sampang, Madura. At that time, the stall did not operate 24 hours. “Initially, I opened from morning until night, around 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.,” said Husen when met by Kompas.com at his stall on Tuesday (31/3/2026). However, he began to notice different patterns in customer habits. “But gradually, more customers came, especially students and night drivers. They often arrive at midnight, even at 2 a.m. still looking for food or cigarettes,” he said. From there, Husen started extending the opening hours gradually until deciding to operate fully 24 hours since 2016. “For a stall like this, 24 hours is not a choice, but a necessity. Our customers come at any time,” he stated. In practice, keeping the stall open is not easy. Husen must ensure there is always someone on duty, including himself. He chose to live at the stall to monitor all activities. “If I lived elsewhere, it would be hard to oversee credit sales and stock,” Husen explained. According to him, the 24-hour rhythm never truly quiets down. “From 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., it’s still busy. Sometimes 5 to 7 people come. From 2 to 5 a.m., it’s quieter, but there are still buyers,” he said. Night customers become a crucial support, from neighbourhood watch volunteers to drivers stopping for coffee or cigarettes. To maintain operations, Husen divides work time into several shifts. However, he remains directly involved in nearly all hours. “Credit sales actually become the stall’s strength. Many regular customers take items first and pay later,” he said. In a week, the credit value can reach Rp3 million to Rp5 million, recorded in a manual book. From the income side, Husen stated that his stall’s turnover ranges from Rp5 million to Rp6 million per week. “What keeps it going is not big transactions, but small ones that are frequent,” he remarked.