Businesses like this still exist.
Imagine. No website. No Facebook page. No Twitter. Not even an email address?
Stepping into Puan Natrah’s bookshop is like stepping into the 1980s. Perhaps even 1960s?
In front of her small, quaint shop is a much faded signboard that reads “Book Street”. It may be the only book outlet in Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur. If it isn’t, then there probably isn’t one like it for miles around.
“We’ve sold almost all the copies of your encyclopedia,” she said to me from behind her glass counter.
“That’s great,” I said. “Do you rent those out?”
“Oh no, I sell them. We rent out other books.”
“I see. You know I’ve got about 200 of my late father’s biography sitting in my brother’s store room,” I said. “Are you interested in taking them?”
Puan Natrah glanced at me quizzically. Then, with a grin, she nodded.
A couple of days later I brought them over and helped stack them up for her.

Although most of the books are in excellent condition, because of the passage of time, some of them are less than perfect. Hence she agreed to sell them at RM15 each, even though the normal retail price is RM39.
“The cheaper price will help sell them,” she said. “I’ve got a lot of stock …”
“I’ll blog about your shop,” I said. “Hopefully, it’ll give you a bit more exposure.”
So anyway, Book Street is in Seri Hartamas. It’s beside the small car park next to Old Town White Coffee. The one opposite the vegetarian restaurant and Moma, the art gallery.

I previously mentioned my Dad’s biography in a couple of posts: Obama’s Election Victory and Daulat Tuanku – Happy 2009!
So if you get a chance, drop into Puan Natrah’s shop. She doesn’t have a computer, so instead of staring at a screen, she’ll say hello and you could even have a chat!
That’s what we did.
June 25, 2012 at 3:42 am
That’s the way business should be carried out isn’t it? The boss greets the customers spend some time chat with the customers, engage in sincere dialogues, see what the customers need and see what the customers’ suggestions are as to improving his shop or business setting. I like to shop for books at Borders at the Curve, there is a gay, shop attendant, who seems to know many science writers, he could discuss with me about Richard Dawkins and Jerald Diamond, he could discuss with me and compare between creationists writers and evolutionists writers, and he commented that science and religions definitely could co-exist (maybe his boss was not around most of the times)….
June 29, 2012 at 6:30 am
sorry, i am saying “there is a guy”
June 29, 2012 at 10:29 am
Daniel – Both gay and guy work equally well! I agree, there’s nothing like personal service to make a good day better. I wonder if all these computer screens are making us less people-oriented. I really hope not!
June 30, 2012 at 8:55 pm
Hi tunku halim ! There is these row of second hand “any book”shop in Chowrastar Street in PenangThese shops have been around for donkey years.For many these shops are musky and gloomy but for me it is like entering heaven.Almost every and any book could be found h ereThere is this old uncle who manages one of the stalls.His hair is all white and my daughter calls him the Wise OneYou ask him for any book and he will recite like a parrot the whole series.There are many well kept Harry Porter books,Jodi Picoult,Stephenie Meyers.Cecelia Ahern and Percy Jackson books.There are even well kept Enid Blyton books.The Wise One is well verse and I enjoy talking to him .The funny thing about the Wise One is whenever I ask him for his handphone number(easier to ask if the books are available)he tells me that he doesn’t own a handphone and he finds them a nuisance!
July 2, 2012 at 4:17 am
Oh, guy and gay does make a lot of difference in Malaysia, we discriminate against one of them…
July 2, 2012 at 4:19 am
Hi Krishna, i guess you must be a “fiction” reader
July 2, 2012 at 11:20 pm
Daniel – Very true. Hmmm … I wonder which one?
Krishna – Sounds wonderful. I must go visit The Wise One. I’ll have to admit that I did try to resist a handphone for many years until finally became uncontactable (because no one calls the land line anymore). Now I’m told that I’m going to need a Smart Phone of some sort. I completely agree with The Wise One … what a nuisance!
August 16, 2012 at 2:09 pm
Natrah’s shop is a gem..been there for more than 5 years !!
August 20, 2012 at 10:23 pm
Gene – It is indeed. It’s a step back in time. Don’t forget to pick up the biography. 🙂