Narabeto Korohama

Poncol Market has been a main destination for Jakartans when they need secondhand goods of fair quality at low prices.

However, visitors may find it rather hard to reach the flea market because its location has seemingly being forgotten by the public these days.

Access to Poncol Market is now difficult because people have to take a roundabout route because of an underpass on Jl. Letjen. Suprapto and the closure of a highway in front of Pasar Senen Station.

Muslim, a vendor at Poncol Market, said the market was no longer as thriving as it had been previously.

“Before the underpass was built, this market was very busy all day from early morning to the afternoon,” Muslim said as he reminisced about the once booming market.

Muslim, who has been trading at the market since 1986, added that it used to be open from six in the morning.

Poncol Market is currently changing to become a tidier and more comfortable place.

Besides secondhand goods, the market now also sells new ones like shoes and clothes at competitive prices. Despite the new atmosphere, visitors to this market are declining in number.

Traders can now only look forward to the arrival of public holidays, when a lot more buyers visit their kiosks.