Blooming business: Customers browsing the flower stalls at Ipoh Central Market. — RONNIE CHION/The Star
IPOH: Tucked away in a quiet corner of Ipoh Central Market, a cluster of florist shops is breathing new life into the city's landmark.
This hidden corner may not boast grand storefronts or neon signs, yet within its modest space, customers are greeted by stalls brimming with blooms, character and charm.
Many of these floral businesses have been passed down through generations, offering a peaceful floral refuge amid the market’s hustle.
Trader K. Murugamah, 58, a familiar face for decades, continues the floral legacy that began with her husband Chew Ee Choon, 61, nearly 40 years ago.
She said her daughter Chew Chien Yong, 30, also helps out at the stall.
Her shop is a burst of colours and scents, stocked with flowers from Cameron Highlands and some from as far as China.
“I believe what keeps customers coming back is simple – affordable prices and an unbeatable variety.
“All kinds of people come here because they know they can find what they want without burning a hole in their pockets,” she said with a smile while arranging a fresh bundle of lilies.
Fellow trader Jenny Leong, 60, said her family’s flower business has been rooted in the market for the past 40 years, first started by her grandmother, then passed down to her mother and now run by her.
Roses, carnations, lilies, orchids, daisies, baby’s breath, chrysanthemums and eustoma – she stocks them all.
"Whatever the occasion, we can make the right bouquet,” she said, noting that her flower arrangements are in high demand for festivals, celebrations and even solemn ceremonies.
N. Satchia, 40, who took over his godfather’s florist shop in 2013, has continued the legacy with a modern twist.
He said customers are drawn to the stall primarily because prices are 40% to 50% lower than those outside the market.
"With an abundance of flower varieties to choose from, people prefer to come here,” he said.
Leveraging on social media to promote his business, Satchia has attracted customers from as far as Kuala Lumpur and Johor.
In addition to fresh blooms, the shop also offers soap flowers and preserved arrangements to meet the growing demand for long-lasting floral gifts.
Finance executive Nisa Fatini Meor Azizi, 25, said she visits the stall every two weeks to buy petals for her grandmother’s grave, and often picks up roses and other flowers for home decoration.
"It is so much cheaper here compared to elsewhere,” she said.
Krystle Choo, 56, said she has been buying flowers from the market since she was young.
"I come regularly to buy fresh flowers to place in my house for decoration,” she said.
