This Ipoh man has been selling records for 40 years

Chen’s modest store houses a treasure trove of goodies, including vinyl LPs, cassettes, hi-fi knick knacks and erhus. Photos: The Star/N. Rama Lohan

When the sound of the erhu emanates from a particular stretch of Pasar Besar Ipoh, Perak’s central market, that simply means Cheng Ah Lek is at his record store for a day’s work. The proprietor of Perniagaan Nanyang has been selling vinyl LPs for more than 40 years, having opened his first shop on Osborne Street (now Jalan Dato Tahwil Azhar) in 1974.

“I opened another shop in Yau Tet Shin market in 1984, but closed it two years later when I fell ill,” said the gregarious 74-year-old. Ultimately, the original Osborne Street store is what lasted longest, and Cheng was there until the turn of the millennium, when the owner of the lot eventually sold it.