Hello everyone, how are you? I hope you're all well. Some time ago, I visited a place that went viral in 2019. This place is a haven for book lovers. It's called Wisata Buku Kenar (Canary Book Tourism). It's near my house. Back then, this place was a haven for book lovers.
It's a comfortable place to shop, play, and read. But now I'm here. It's deserted. Several booksellers are closed. In fact, the main store, Jakbook, has closed permanently. They say this is the impact of the pandemic.
Picture by Nurdiani Latifah
The pandemic has been going on for three years, and it's closed. There are no customers here. The existing booksellers rely solely on online sales. Today, online sales aren't doing well either. It's sad to see this place empty. The food stalls are empty, even the minimarket is empty.
I came here to interview the vendors. But I feel sad because this place is starting to become empty. There's nothing going on. This spacious space used to be a children's play area. The children there were vendors bringing their children.
Picture by Nurdiani Latifah
What did I do? Luckily, the escalator was running when I arrived. Several times I've been there, the escalator has stopped. This bookstore is on the 4th floor of Kenari Market, Jakarta. Upon arrival, I felt sad. I bought some ice cream to soothe my broken heart.
It was quiet, devoid of any activity. The vendors relied solely on online sales. They said it would be better not to have a shop because sales were low. The rent here varies, depending on when the vendors arrive. That's all the sad story I have to share. See you again.
Picture by Nurdiani Latifah
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