KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — When Ampang Park, one of Malaysia’s oldest shopping malls, announced it was closing in 2017, Ting Wah Fun, owner of Topper Sports Ampang Trading, found himself at a crossroads.
As the long-time owner of the popular sports equipment store in the mall, Ting faced a tough decision: where to relocate his business.
With a legacy built over decades, the choice of a new home for his store would be crucial to its survival in an increasingly competitive retail landscape.
“I opened my store in Ampang Park 39 years ago in 1985. But when it was said that it would close down, I had to move somewhere else. Among the choices were Ampang Point, Mid Valley Megamall, and Pertama Complex,” the 64-year-old, who specialises in racquet sports equipment, told Malay Mail.
“But in some places, the rent is high, and I don’t know if there will be customers. So, I decided to choose Pertama Complex because it’s famous for sporting goods,” he added while threading red string through a customer’s badminton racquet.
His new store is a testament to his business’s growth. Spanning nearly 1,900 square feet, it is more than double the size of his previous 880-square-foot shop at Ampang Park.
Ting started his business in the iconic Pertama Complex in January 2018, and the mall’s strategic location Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman had made the transition more significant than he had anticipated.
“In Ampang Park, the customers’ behaviour was very different: they like us to attend them and ask them what they are looking for. But here, I have to adapt.
“People all over Malaysia are coming here to buy sports stuff and they would like to be by themselves to see the products,” he said.
Having successfully navigated the hurdles of relocation, Ting now takes pride in the new relationships he’s built with his customers.
“I enjoy seeing them walk in, knowing that most trust my nearly 40 years of expertise, even if the racquet costs hundreds of ringgit,” he said with a smile.
Another veteran vendor making his mark in Pertama Complex is 64-year-old Mohd Bakri Che Din, who specialises in selling motorcycle riding gear.
With decades of experience in the industry, Bakri has cultivated a loyal following among riding enthusiasts.
The shop, stocked with colourful helmets from Japanese brands such as Arai, jackets, and accessories, caters to a niche but passionate clientele.
“The business started in 1984, and started off with just one lot at that time. The rental was about RM600. My brother started this shop, but since he passed away, I took over the business.
“Those who came in as a customer (later) recommended the store to their friends, and over the years we had customers from foreign countries as well, from France and the Arab (nations).
“When they come to visit Malaysia, some will come here because our currency is cheaper and sometimes the products they want are not in their country,” he said.
The location of Pertama Complex has played a significant role in Bakri’s success.
“Some came from Penang, Johor and Kelantan with their family by bus or by train, and they would spend their time in this shop while the wives and kids at the next building,” he said in jest, referring to the SOGO KL shopping mall just next door.
Mohd Bakri’s store, Mecinda Racing, is one of the mall’s success stories. What started as a small operation has now expanded to occupy five lots.
For Kit Goh, the founder and CEO of Agoh Marketing, selling smartphones from Pertama Complex was always the ideal choice.
While his business has a strong online presence, Goh prefers a hybrid approach, marketing products on platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram before directing customers to the store.
“Online platforms like Shopee and TikTok come with charges, so we encourage customers to visit us here instead,” he explained.
Goh’s journey started in 2004, with a small 4-foot kiosk selling just 28 mobile phones at Pertama Complex’s ground floor in front of the main entrance.
Today, after years of steady growth, he employs around 200 people and owns 80 per cent of the kiosks on the same ground floor where it all began.
Despite the shifts in the retail landscape, Goh still believes in the stability and accessibility that Pertama Complex offers, with its steady foot traffic and easy access for customers.
The complex’s unique appeal also benefits other businesses in the building, like Som Ahmad, 72, and her daughter Hazwani Wahab, 36, whose restaurant, Restoran Ummi, has thrived thanks to patrons of the niche businesses here.
Catering to the mall’s diverse clientele, their restaurant has become a popular spot for shoppers and vendors alike.
“Opening a restaurant here is unlike any other place. Before we started here in 2009 at Pertama Complex’s food court, our restaurant was in Komtar Johor, Johor Baru, and then we decided to move to Kuala Lumpur.
“We tried for a year to open up a restaurant in 2008 in Seri Kembangan and Shah Alam, selling affordable meals to the people there such as students but it didn’t really work.
“You can get a high number of customers only on weekdays but here it is different, there’s banks, shopping malls, and other corporate buildings in our surroundings, even on weekends we can get customers from those who’re doing their shoppings here,” said Hazwani.
Restoran Ummi, which is located just in front of Mohd Bakri’s Mecinda Racing store, offers a set of Ayam Penyet, or smashed chicken rice in English, for RM8 with a free drink.
“Moving here was the best decision for us,” said Som.