Leong (second from left) sharing interesting snippets of Johor Baru’s history with tourists during a heritage walking tour.
FROM shoeshiners to shops selling imported foodstuff and bars frequented by Europeans – downtown Johor Baru used to have it all back in the day.
Being the city’s centre of trade, the area was a hive of activity in its heyday, said Johor Tourist Guides Association chairman Jimmy Leong.
“The area boomed and flourished during the 1960s where people could easily find tailors, sewing machine repair shops, photo studios, restaurants, bars, watch shops, department stores, cobblers and spice shops.
“There was also a shop called Cold Storage, with no relation to the modern grocery chain, which sold European bread and imported items such as sausages, butter and canned food.
“There was a shop specialising in cakes of soap where the shopkeeper would cut and sell according to the customer’s request,” he told StarMetro.
There were also licensed firearms outlets and a shop with a large stone grinder that provided grinding services to those who wanted their soya bean or rice ground into paste for cooking.
Leong said that as time passed and with advancement of technology, most of the trades began phasing out as they could not be sustained.
“Those days, people had their shoes repaired and shined as they wore them for life, compared to the modern practice of throwing away damaged shoes.
“Back then, almost every home had a sewing machine, so that kept the sewing machine repair shops in business.
“When the items phased out, so did such services,” he added.
Vanishing trades, said Leong, were happening everywhere, not just in Johor Baru, and it was something that could not be helped.
“Sustainability is a real challenge.
“Food and beverage businesses are slightly different as there is a demand for them, but services like photo studios, watch repair shops and cobblers do not enjoy the same fate.
“Looking at downtown Johor Baru today, most of the old trades are no longer around; what is left are only stories of the past.”
Leong said his association, in partnership with the relevant authorities, was conducting heritage walks where they take tourists for a tour while telling them significant stories and history of the area.
He said they conducted six to seven of such tours each month and his association recently proposed to Johor Baru City Council to put up description plaques at important spots to help the public learn about the city’s history.
Businesswoman May Ku, 50, said traditional and old trades added a different dimension to downtown Johor Baru, which is still called Old Street by many.
“I enjoy visiting the area for breakfast or lunch with my family as we have always liked the look of the old buildings, including those in Melaka and Penang.
“The old trades add some colour and character to the city, so it will be sad if they all vanish one day and are replaced by modern cafes.
“Maybe the relevant authorities or non-governmental organisations can step in and help promote the old businesses to prevent them from shuttering,” she added.
Retiree Omar Mohamad, 61, said he had been patronising the Kok Yow Yong Drinks Shop for more than 40 years after learning about the shop from his father.
“Since my bachelor days, I have been getting my herbal tea fix at the shop whenever I feel unwell.
“Honestly, when western medicine does not work, I will just come for a glass of bitter tea and I will feel much better – that is what keeps me coming back all these years,” he said.
The father of four said he would even recommend the beverage to his friends whenever they felt under the weather.
Meanwhile, a Singaporean who only wanted to be known as Jack, 51, said he took a day trip to Johor Baru with his friends every fortnight to spend time around Old Street.
“We enjoy walking around the downtown area and exploring new things,” he said.
Jack added that he and his friends recently walked by the toddy shop in Jalan Sulaiman for the first time and decided to go in.
“The shop gave me a nostalgic feeling, which I cannot find anywhere in Singapore.
“It will be great to preserve these old trades for the next generation rather than letting the areas get gentrified,” he added. — By YEE XIANG YUN
