TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Blok M on the weekends: Pioneering malls that stand the test of time
Blok M was named in the 1940s when the Dutch company CSW developed a satellite city in Kebayoran Baru, designating it for commercial use.
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Melting pot: Several cars enter the Blok M Square complex in South Jakarta on Feb. 22, 2025. The Blok M area has been known as a hub for people from all walks of life to meet and spend time on the weekends since the 1970s. (JP/Nur Janti)
O
n a Saturday night, Plaza Blok M, one of the most popular malls in the bustling heart of South Jakarta, comes alive with hundreds of visitors. People come to dine with family, watch movies or browse stores while spending quality time with loved ones.
Among the visitors was Bilal Quraish, 26, who was on a date with his girlfriend earlier this month.
Bilal shared that his go-to spot is Plaza Blok M, offering a wider range of venues compared to other nearby malls such as Blok M Square, Blok M Mall and Pasaraya Blok M. The area also boasts various recreational spots, including a Tokyo Town on Melawai Street, a city park and food stalls.
“This mall offers a variety of restaurants, and if we get bored strolling inside, we can explore the area, which includes a literary park and boutique,” Bilal explained.
The area got its name, Blok M, in the 1940s when the Dutch company Central Stichting Wederopbouw (CSW) developed a satellite city in Kebayoran Baru, dividing the area into blocks.
Each block was designated a letter, and Blok M was specifically reserved for commercial use.
“Blok M was designed as an integrated shopping hub, linking transportation with entertainment,” said Suryono Herlambang, an urban planning lecturer at Tarumanagara University in Jakarta.
