shoppingNsales

  THIS year, Kuala Lumpur’s most enduring shopping complex turns 30. Since it opened its doors in 1977, Sungei Wang Plaza has become the centre for urban culture, catering to the needs of the young, the young at heart and the traveller. The mall has become a landmark of sorts and attracts over two million visitors each month.

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StarMetro speaks to its loyal tenants, staff members and shoppers to find out what makes the complex so popular. 

WHAT makes one of the city’s most enduring malls so popular? Some say it’s the location? Some believe its good feng shui is the reason while others are lured by the variety of goods that can be found under its roof.  

Whatever the reasons, Sungei Wang Plaza has managed to survive two recessions, floods and even several gang wars. It has come out unscathed and even won the prestigious FIABCI Prix d Excellence 1996 international award under the Retail Properties category – making it one of the most popular malls in South East Asia.  

Loyal: Sayed Kamarudin, 54, (right) has been working in Sungei Wang since the day it was opened in 1977.

Sungai Wang Plaza Merchants Association president Yee Man attributes the popularity to good feng shui.  

“It’s the only shopping complex where all eight entrances are constantly teeming with people moving in and out. It’s also the only mall where the sixth floor is fully occupied and doing very well. At most places, the upper floors are quiet, some even empty,” said Yee, 59.  

For luck: One of the shopping complex’s water fountain which was built according to the direction of a feng shui master.

According to him, the first 10 years since opening for business, the mall’s progress was slow and that business only picked up during the late 80’s and early 90’s after several renovations were carried out upon the advise of a feng shui master.  

“The major renovations were done at the concourse area where the fountain was located,” he said. 

“The staircase leading up to the fountain had to be separated and branches into two staircases, one facing the retail area and the other the F&B outlets,” said Yee.  

“Two years later, another fountain was built outside the mall, also upon the advice of the same feng shui master.”  

According to Yee, after it was built, the mall won the FIABCI Prix d Excellence 1996 international award.  

»It’s the only shopping complex with all its eight entrances constantly teeming with people moving in and out« YEE MAN

“It was an exciting time for all, we were 20 years old and yet we beat the other new malls in the city to become the most popular mall in Kuala Lumpur,” he said.  

Yee said the management did not have the budget to build another fountain at that time.  

“But I managed to convince them that a small one would do,” he said.  

Yee said after it was built, the board of directors jokingly asked him if there was a chance for the complex to win the FIABCI Prix d Excellence 1996 international award. 

“It came as a very pleasant surprise to us all when we won,” he said.  

However, not all attribute feng shui as the reason for the mall’s popularity.  

Leeonis Aris: Used to hang out at the ice rink on the lower ground floor of the plaza.

Sungei Wang’s senior security officer Sayed Kamarudin Sayed Omar believes the good relationship between the management and staff is the key to the success of the mall. 

“I’ve been working here for 30 years, right from day the mall was opened. This has been my first and only job.  

“It’s a great place to work,” he said, adding that the benefits were good too.  

The 54-year-old described the mall as being busy even during the 70’s. 

Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur’s security and safety manager Leeonis Aris Fadzilah has been a fan of Sungei Wang since he was 10-years-old.  

“As a child, I used to hang out at the ice rink located on the lower ground and first floor. Today that spot has been taken over by Parkson,” said the 40-year-old. 

“It’s a great place to hang out and for shopping. I still go there, you can get almost everything under one roof,” said Leeonis.  

Tang Eye Yan, 56, one of the pioneer tenants of Sungei Wang operating the Tang Watch & Optical Co since 1977, said he made a good decision by leaving his hometown Teluk Anson (now Teluk Intan) to set up business in Kuala Lumpur.  

Down memory lane: The BB Park trade exhibition before its opening at Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. This photo was taken in 1955.

“Then, there were only 35 shops operating in Sungei Wang when it opened for business in 1977. Today there are over 700 shops here,” he said.  

One of the first outlets to open its door in Sungei Wang is Tomei Gold & Jewellery. “Tomei is the first jewellery merchant to go into shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur. Our outlet in Sungei Wang is the second oldest, the first was in Campbell Complex and has since been closed,” said Tomei Group managing director Ng Yih Pyng.  

“As far as I know, the complex has always been prosperous even during the BB Park era. Despite the emergence of new shopping malls in the neighbourhood, Sungei Wang still manages to retain its own identity,” said Ng.  

Down memory lane: The BB Park trade exhibition before its opening at Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. This photo was taken in 1955.

“We have always valued long term relationships,” said Sungei Wang general manager Foong Meng Khum. Forming a good partnership with owners, tenants and even staff is our culture and everyone enjoys a fair share of the rewards,” he said.  

Foong added that most of the popular brands in the market started by opening their first outlet in Sungei Wang before going to other malls.  

Some of the brands include Vincci, Seed, Watsons, Sasa and Esquire Kitchen.  

Thriving complex: Sungei Wang general manager Foong Meng Khum says the mall has always valued longterm relationships.

It was also reported that the KFC’s Sungei Wang outlet charted the highest sales turnover in Asia in the 80’s.  

 www.sungeiwang.com

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This entry was posted on Thursday, July 5th, 2007 at 1:44 pm and is filed under Sungei Wang, mall, news. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.