CHOWRASTA Market, which was built in 1890, is not only a famous landmark in Penang but also a treasure trove of pleasure for avid second-hand book buyers.
Many children of yesteryear would well remember spending hours looking for their favourite comic books or magazines at the second-hand bookstores there.
There is still quite a number of second-hand bookstores operating on the upper floor of the market, together with stores selling clothes and shoes.
For many readers, who want to get a good bargain for second-hand books, the Chowrasta Market is a must-visit.
However, with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic biting hard on every sector, second-hand book sellers are also facing a bleak future due to the dampened economy.
Buletin Mutiara spoke to Sabran Naseer Khan, who is one of the booksellers at the market, on the challenges he faced.
According to him, the current situation has greatly affected almost everyone in virtually all kinds of businesses.
“As for my business, our store has been operating for many decades and I would say that our business is still sustainable.
“More or less, our business is now heading towards online platform. Like it or not, we need to try out this platform as this is the new norm nowadays.
“Everyone is doing online business now and we need to try our best to attract customers through this platform or else we have nowhere to go,” he said at his bookstore, known as NK Book Cafe.
Sabran said he noticed that many of his customers prefer to order their books online.
“During this time, many people prefer to stay at home instead of going out. My business is, however, fortunately still surviving during this challenging period,” he added.
Asked whether people still develop reading habit, Sabran pointed out that many of his customers have been enjoying reading.
“Many of their children have sometimes also dropped by my store to find their favourite books to read.
“Overall, I am coping well with the situation,” said Sabran, while busy arranging books at his bookstore.
But many other second-hand bookstores near Sabran’s store were conspicuously closed.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi