D

espite being branded as an exemplar of cleanliness, Santa Modern Market, a traditional market on Jl. Wolter Monginsidi in South Jakarta, has been devoid of shoppers since its renovation in 2007.

The market, which earned its name as one of the cleanest and most hygienic markets in the city and has received Adipura awards for cleanliness in the last few years, is located in a strategic position between two main streets but is in an affluent area, with major restaurants, office buildings, supermarkets and the Blok M business district nearby.

Since Santa'€™s renovation, which was hoped would attract more shoppers to the market, many formerly regular customers now shop for their daily needs at nearby malls and the big Blok M market.

One vendor, 50-year-old Wartini, said that her sales had declined sharply since the renovation.

Wartini, who sells chicken, said she could sell up to 15 chickens in four hours before the renovation.

'€œNow I barely sell five chickens by 1 p.m. in the afternoon,'€ she said, adding that she had been trading at the market for 35 years.

Wartini said that many of her regular customers, who were middle- and upper-class residents of the area, chose to shop at nearby supermarkets or minimarkets.

Another vendor, 56-year-old Nurbaiti, also complained about the poor business conditions at the market and said that many regulars did not shop at Santa any longer because of the large number of department stores in the area.

Nurbaiti, who sells various foods, said that her customers were now just a handful of regulars.

'€œSince the renovation in 2007, many regulars have chosen to shop at Mayestik Market, Blok M market or adjacent supermarkets,'€ she said.

The Mayestik and Blok M markets, located in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, are some of the city'€™s most well-known markets.

Nurbaiti said that her sales had declined more than 50 percent since the renovation.

'€œSome of my regulars hardly ever come here anymore. The market'€™s management should do something about the situation or we could all go bankrupt,'€ she said.

Meanwhile, Santa market management head Bambang Sugiarto acknowledged that the market has experienced a significant drop in shopper numbers over the past few years. '€œSanta market is located in the heart of an upper-class area. Many upper-class residents, of course, choose to shop at supermarkets or minimarkets instead of at a wet market,'€ Bambang said recently.

He added that the market'€™s management was planning to attract visitors by inviting youth- and urban-themed stores to open kiosks at themarket.

He said that 350 such stores are scheduled to open at Santa by the end of August.

Market regular Irene Maria said that many people chose to shop at supermarkets after the renovation because prices at the traditional market were less competitive than those at supermarkets.

She added that after the renovation, many vendors increased the cost of their products because their rent had increased.

'€œPeople shop at traditional markets because it'€™s cheaper. Many people think that if the prices at traditional markets can'€™t compete with supermarkets, then there is no reason left to shop at traditional markets,'€ she said. Irene said that she still shopped at Santa market because she enjoyed the sense of community among vendors and customers.

'€œAt traditional markets, you can stay for hours talking to the vendors and other customers. This is something you can'€™t find at a supermarket,'€ she said.

'€” JP/Dewanti A. Wardhani