AFTER 50 years in business, Emporium Makan, one of the oldest food courts in Klang is being demolished to make way for a Light Rail Transit Phase 3 (LRT3) station.
Hydraulic excavators can be seen tearing down the building at the far end of Jalan Raja Hassan.
Over the past few months, stall owners have been moving out after being served eviction notices from the Klang Municipal Council.
No compensation was paid but transport was provided to help move out their belongings.
Emporium Makan opened in 1969 and used to have some 70 hawkers operating in the building.
The first floor of the double-storey building housed Gama supermarket in the 1980s and it was a bustling hive of activity.
Its first floor has been vacant and in a dilapidated condition for nearly a decade.
For decades, the food court has offered simple, comfort food and is frequented by both Malaysians and tourists alike, serving a range of hawker fare from wantan mee, chicken rice and mee jawa to lontong, satay and bubur cha cha.
One famous stall selling chicken rice, Nasi Ayam Rozi co-owner Rozita Mohd Padli, 39, who was the last to leave the building at 5am Tuesday (Oct 15) morning, said the place held many memories for many people.
Michelle Anne Augastine, who had been frequenting the food court since 1999, said Emporium Makan was a delight of Malaysian stall foods where people from all walks of life could enjoy the fare as prices were reasonable.
Wantan mee stall owner Steven Yap, 67, said families have been coming to the food court for generations.
"We thank them from the bottom of our hearts. We will miss our regular patrons and that is the hardest part," he said.
Rozita added she is still looking for a new place to trade and hoped regular patrons will search for her stall on Facebook and Instagram so they could continue to enjoy her chicken rice.
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