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At a glimpse: Great memories in a small kiosk
The kiosk may be small in size but it serves as an oasis for those looking for cassettes that are non existent in modern music stores
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he kiosk may be small in size but it serves as an oasis for those looking for cassettes that are non existent in modern music stores. The two-by-two square meter space houses more than 2,500 cassettes, CDs and vinyl - mostly old ones.
Framed posters of musicians hang on the walls along with a broken vinyl, which has been made into a clock.
Mamat, 46, who runs the kiosk, said he unintentionally started selling old cassettes four years ago. In the beginning, he offered cassettes to people at an open space near the railway station.
“I used to sell the cassettes on the roadside. It turned out that my customer base grew bigger. So, I decided to rent this kiosk,” he said.
Born into a family of music enthusiasts, Mamat said the music preferences among his family members were different. Being Javanese, his parents love keroncong, gamelan and wayang recordings, while his brother likes pop and jazz music. Mamat is a hardcore fan of rock music.
“My favorite band is The Rolling Stones,” he said. It explains why there is a big poster of Mick Jagger, the band’s front man, on the wall.
If you are a fan of Duo Kribo, The New Rollies or Koes Plus and are looking for old records of the group, you can visit the kiosk to hunt for such treasures. According to Mamat, he has a vast collection of Koes Plus’ Qasidah edition from the 1970s on offer.
“You can find old cassettes here. If you cannot find what you want here, I will contact my colleagues who also run similar kiosks. They may have the collection,” he added.
Mamat at his kiosk.: JP/Kurniawan Hari
Mamat, who used to play rhythm guitar in a band, said people came to his kiosk to find different music. According to him, people came to find songs or albums memorable to them.
“Different people look for different music. The most important thing is the music is memorable to them,” he added.
What about the price? Mamat said the prices of the cassettes are affordable because he does not run the kiosk for commercial purposes. “This is mostly a personal hobby. I use these cassettes to build friendships,” he added.
That is why the prices of the cassettes are different depending on their value and history. For example, the Duo Kribo cassettes sell for Rp 50,000 (US$5.6), while Amburadul, a limited album from Iwan Fals, is on sale for Rp 500,000.
“That album [by Iwan Fals] is expensive because it was a limited edition. It was historical,” he said.
Generally, Mamat offers cassettes from Rp 10,000 at the lowest price and he has a reason for that. “Pirated cassettes are sold for Rp 7,000. So, original ones must be higher,” he said, adding that it is a show of appreciation to the musicians.
Aside from selling old cassettes, people came to him for advice on how to take care of the cassettes and the players.
“I am more than happy to share my tips on how to take care of ageing cassettes,” he said. He suggested people should clean the heads on their cassette players regularly; otherwise, the sound of the music will not be optimal.
During the interview, Mamat received a call from one of his customers who offered him 40 cassettes, meaning more cassettes coming to his kiosk. “My customers have become friends. Some of them offer their cassettes at bargain prices. I plan to enlarge this kiosk because my cassette collection is growing bigger and bigger,” he said.
For many people old cassettes are simply trash. But for others they are eternal memories, which can light up their spirits.
Stasiun Musik Depok Baru
Phone: 021 96759134
