As the smoke cleared from the charred ruins of the iconic Isardas tailor and textile shop in Pasar Baru, Central Jakarta on Wednesday, many mourned its loss.

Located in one of the oldest shopping hubs in the city, fire gutted the shop a day earlier, razing all inside the building. No casualties were reported in the incident.

The tailor shop is one of the most revered in the city, with loyal clients returning again and again after decades.

Juliana, a grandmother of four, still remembers the time when she bought her husband a suit from Isardas after he got his first job following their marriage in 1961.

“Every time I pass the store, I remember the happier times back then. My late husband was accepted into a company he had been eyeing for a long time, and I still remember how handsome he looked with that suit,” said Juliana wistfully.

Juliana returned to Pasar Baru after hearing the news, just to look and reminisce in her memories.

Isardas went up in flames on Tuesday afternoon after a suspected short circuit on the shop’s second floor. As many as 27 fire trucks were deployed to deal with the blaze, which did not spread to neighboring businesses.

A police officer stationed nearby who wished to remain anonymous said the exact cause of the fire and losses have not been determined.

Eko, a shop assistant from a nearby store, said the fire had started suddenly and spread quickly.

“I was doing some chores when I heard a lot of screaming, and the next thing I know there were flames all over the building. It all happened so fast,” said Eko, who did not stay to watch the burning building as he did not want to inhale the smoke.

Isardas is one of the many historic stores in Pasar Baru, having opened for business in 1929. Sukirno, an ex-employee who worked at the store for 10 years, said the store is named after its founder, who was an Indian national, as quoted by tempo.co. The store is currently managed by Isardas’ grandson, who is also the head of the Pasar Baru vendors association.

Pasar Baru is one of the oldest shopping centers in Jakarta, having been built in the colonial era in 1820 by the Dutch.

The market is populated by sellers of Chinese and Indian descent, many whom have been there for a long time.

The shopping center is home to many venerable stores and restaurants, from the Sin Lie Seng shoe store to the Bakmie Abun restaurant.

Other notable sites include the Dharma Jaya Vihara tucked in one of Pasar Baru’s many alleys, one of the oldest klenteng (Chinese temple) in Jakarta, having been built in 1698.

Historian JJ Rizal told The Jakarta Post that the most significant store in Pasar Baru is Toko Kompak, which was the residence of Tio Tek Ho, the penultimate Majoor der Chinezen (Chinese headman) in colonial Batavia.

“Toko Kompak is the first store to use fixed prices. They used to sell hobby goods for the upper classes, such as hunting rifles and phonograph records,” said Rizal.

Wibowo, 54, an entrepreneur, told the Post that he kept returning to Pasar Baru for tailor-made suits and the general atmosphere, even with the myriad of malls available in Jakarta.

“I live in Kebon Jeruk, and I can afford to buy off-the-rack suits in the malls, but there’s something about this place that draws people to it. I think it’s a nostalgic place for many,” said Wibowo, who went to eat at Bakmi Gang Kelinci with his colleagues.

Pasar Baru’s charms are apparently not limited to the older generation, as 19-year-old Fira can testify.

“I enjoy coming here because I like to shop for vintage clothes in the Metro Plaza building. The whole area also has that vintage feel to it,” said the first-year university student, who admitted that she never shopped at Pasar Baru’s historic stores.

“The inventory there isn’t really my style, but my mother mentioned that she always shopped at Pasar Baru as a child.”

The loss of Isardas dealt another blow to Jakarta’s historic sites, with its former glory replaced by police tape and locked doors.

“Only memories are left from Isardas and Pasar Baru, but I’m happy that I can still remember the fun times that my late husband and I shared on this street,” said Juliana. (jlm)

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