EVERY day at 7am, Hashimah Said Ibramsa and her husband open up their antique store at the famed Ropewalk in Lorong Kulit in George Town, Penang.

Not just local vintage stuff, she also keeps antiques from overseas, including scuba helmets, telephones and copper items.

But in the last three to four years, business has been bad as visitors no longer visit the market.

Ropewalk has been around for almost five decades. The name was given after its original business of selling ropes used by ships to dock. It was then situated in Lorong Chulia.

In the 1990s, it was moved to Lorong Kulit and the number of traders surged. The area became a spot for antiques, second-hand clothing, shoes and assorted merchandise.

Ropewalk is now next to the Bandaraya Stadium and apart from selling general goods, there are fruit stalls and a food court. The market is also located not far from the birthplace of the legendary actor-singer P. Ramlee.

Hashimah told The Malaysian Insight that people are now tight-fisted. Where they use to spend lavishly on the items here previously, they are now keeping away.

Furthermore, the state government is not doing enough to promote the area as a tourist spot, even though many tour buses pass the area daily, she said.

As a sign of how bad business is, Hashimah said there was not a single customer although it was 11am on a Friday.

“Nowadays, business is really bad. We used to have customers daily but now, to get even one is tough.

“The antiques we are selling, people hardly spend money on them. We rely on regular customers,” said Hashimah, who’s been hawking her wares at Ropewalk bazaar for more than 10 years.

Most traders here are willing to bargain with their customers but now there are hardly enough customers left to bargain with.

“Looking at the situation now, to get even RM1,000 a month, is an uphill task,” she told The Malaysian Insight.

For A. Kanan, who sells used electronics items, his income a few years ago was about RM2,500 a month.

“There were many customers then. They come and buy stuff they liked. On a Sunday and Saturday, you can get RM300 to RM400.

“Now, however, I can only get RM1,000 a month. Fortunately, my children are working and they give me some money monthly,” said Kanan who has been trading for the past 20 years.

He said there are still people buying used electronics.

“I don’t sell items that are no longer functioning. I get the items from a recycling centre and I fix them. I sell it with warranty. If it’s broken, I will fix it for free,” he said.

Lorong Kulit Small Traders secretary, Syamsul Zulkifly said there are 493 registered traders in the area of whom 34 sell food, fruits (42) and general goods (416).

Syamsul is hoping that the market will be upgraded to a tourist spot this year in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2020.

He said the matter was brought up to the state government’s attention since 2008 but there has been no action until today.

“This area must be upgraded as a tourist spot. It is strategic. Close to George Town and P. Ramlee’s house. It has a big potential for tourism.” – February 11, 2020.