The Treasure Trove of Delight
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| Hin Pop-Up Market is located at Jalan Gurdwara, Georgetown. |
(Photos credit to Melvin)
Hin Pop-Up Market is a market which opens every Sunday and operates from 11am to 5pm at Hin Bus Depot, an out of serviced old bus depot.
It started since November 2015 and it is a hidden gem in Penang.
Hin Pop-Up Market is a market which opens every Sunday and operates from 11am to 5pm at Hin Bus Depot, an out of serviced old bus depot.
It started since November 2015 and it is a hidden gem in Penang.
This Pop-Up Market serves as a platform for local crafters, artisans and small business owners to showcase their products, crafts and talents.
Hin Pop-Up Market coordinator Tan Shih Thoe said there is not much opportunity in Penang for the locals to showcase their talent and the market is in line with the concept of Hin Bus which encourages art and creativity.
Hin Pop-Up Market coordinator Tan Shih Thoe said there is not much opportunity in Penang for the locals to showcase their talent and the market is in line with the concept of Hin Bus which encourages art and creativity.
Shih Thoe said it takes nearly one year to see crowds in the market.
“It took nearly one year for people to know and for the news to spread by words of mouth.”
“In the early stages, we are still very new and not many people know about us, therefore we do not get a lot of traffic and visitors.”
“It is like the chicken and egg situation. If you want to have a lot of vendors first and then hopefully to wait for the visitors to come; or you want to have a lot of visitors and then your vendors will come. We decided to go ahead with six vendors at that time.”
“All vendors are friends and we treat it as a weekend get-together. It grows slowly and one or two vendors will ask to join every Sunday after then.”
“It took nearly one year for people to know and for the news to spread by words of mouth.”
“In the early stages, we are still very new and not many people know about us, therefore we do not get a lot of traffic and visitors.”
“It is like the chicken and egg situation. If you want to have a lot of vendors first and then hopefully to wait for the visitors to come; or you want to have a lot of visitors and then your vendors will come. We decided to go ahead with six vendors at that time.”
“All vendors are friends and we treat it as a weekend get-together. It grows slowly and one or two vendors will ask to join every Sunday after then.”
One of the challenges is how to make the market different and fresh especially for the regular visitors.
“With that in mind, we insist that all vendors need to book with me in the same week they want to come, which means they don’t book upfront.”
“I also don’t insist on them to come every Sunday. It is best if you come one Sunday and you rest to let other vendors have the chance to come.”
“If there are new vendors, then we will prioritise the new vendors first.”
“With that in mind, we insist that all vendors need to book with me in the same week they want to come, which means they don’t book upfront.”
“I also don’t insist on them to come every Sunday. It is best if you come one Sunday and you rest to let other vendors have the chance to come.”
“If there are new vendors, then we will prioritise the new vendors first.”
“If you go around and check with the vendors, they are friendly and very knowledgeable about their products, and more importantly, there is a community connection among the vendors. They all help each other and share information.”
Many vendors are having an online business and selling their products in the Pop-Up Market at the same time.
“One of the benefits the vendors get is to interact with their customers directly which online don’t do.”
“The vendors can explain and express face to face with their customers and get a lot of feedback such as the facial expressions and the comments.”
“One of the benefits the vendors get is to interact with their customers directly which online don’t do.”
“The vendors can explain and express face to face with their customers and get a lot of feedback such as the facial expressions and the comments.”
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| The visitors can see Komtar from Hin Bus Depot. |
“It is time we have to educate our own Penang community to support local artists, designers and crafters.”
“After all, this is how we can help the economy of Penang.”
“I really hope from this market, we can really show our Penangnites that we have a lot of talent in Penang and what it means to support our own local market.”
“It is a mindset that we have to change and it takes some time to change.”
The rental of the Pop-Up Market ranges from RM14 to RM24 depending on the size of the table.
“The stall fees charged is very minimal to allow more people to have the opportunities.”
“If the rental is too high, then the vendors will have no confidence; but if you lower down, then it encourages them. They don’t lose too much if they don’t make a sale.”
“We have a lot of talented people but somehow they don’t have confidence and fearful, therefore we need to encourage them to come.”
“The stall fees charged is very minimal to allow more people to have the opportunities.”
“If the rental is too high, then the vendors will have no confidence; but if you lower down, then it encourages them. They don’t lose too much if they don’t make a sale.”
“We have a lot of talented people but somehow they don’t have confidence and fearful, therefore we need to encourage them to come.”
Shih Thoe said he would want to see more development and improvement in vendors themselves.
“I want the vendors to come and share information, look at how the more successful vendors do their business, how they set it up and how they present their products.”
“Everyone has to learn. I expect everyone has to improve to a point where they can confidently go to Kuala Lumpur or other places to sell their products.”
Painter Elena Merlina started listing her driftwood paintings in Pop-Up Market one year ago.
“I want the vendors to come and share information, look at how the more successful vendors do their business, how they set it up and how they present their products.”
“Everyone has to learn. I expect everyone has to improve to a point where they can confidently go to Kuala Lumpur or other places to sell their products.”
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| Every piece of Elena’s painting is different and unique. |
“I went to the Tourist Information Centre to ask for a place which I could sell my art and the people give me this address.”
“I contacted the owner and the owner welcomes me.”
The process of her artwork started from picking up the wood from the beach, submerging the wood in the salted water to kill the bugs, wait for the wood to dry and paint the wood in her boat with the photos of houses or doors she took in Penang.
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| Patrick enjoys the atmosphere of Pop-Up Market. |
He sells his sketching of Penang buildings whenever he comes to Penang for holiday.
“I had been to Penang so much and it is the second place I probably lived the most in my life.”
“Penang’s culture really attracts me and it is a great experience being here.”
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Danny has a great interest in fossils and rocks since he was a kid.
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He is fond of collecting rocks and fossils.
Whenever he goes to a country, he likes to do the mining with the locals and meet the locals who own the mines.
“For example, when I was in Kuala Lumpur, I went to copper mining with the miners where they will take all the copper and I get to mine the remaining rocks.”
My wife and I come to Penang on holiday three years ago and we are fond of Penang.”
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