We’ve covered many mall stories in the past including the story of Malaysia’s first-ever shopping centre. Prior to having malls, our country had plenty of supermarkets but there was one particular supermarket in Johor Bahru that’s been long gone but still well-beloved. While most old “malls” or supermarkets were demolished over the past decade, this one was actually demolished back in the 80s or 90s.
Before it was replaced with what is now known as City Square, the supermarket known to the locals as “百货市场” or Pasar Besar, was the place where everyone did their shopping since the 60s. From groceries to food stalls to even entertainment, Pasar Besar and its extension Pasar Baru (located right next to it) were definitely the places to be. Sadly, much history about the market has been lost over time but here are some of the things we do know about this once-lively establishment.
As seen in the photos above, Pasar Besar’s layout included multiple shophouses, connected by tiny passageways brimming with all kinds of products for purchase. It had more than just the usual department store selection of items, including books, periodicals, toys, backpacks, hats, shoes, clothes, hardware, and accessories. It might as well be considered Malaysia’s first mall with everything it had to offer.
According to our sources, this was also the go-to spot for parents to buy their kids’ school supplies and uniforms. One of the most popular things about Pasar Besar was the record store called KEDAI RECORD & KASET SHEIKH BAKAR (Sheikh Bakar’s Record & Casset Store). Sadly, we couldn’t find any photos but from our findings, it was one of the earliest record stores in Malaysia and was owned by SBBS Music Centre founder Sheikh Abu Bakar, as the name suggested, who is also the older brother of veteran singer Dato Shake.
The retired performer’s musical influences were Rolling Stone, Tom Jones, Stevie Wonder, Elvis Presley and The Beatles so you can imagine the music that must’ve been playing and selling at that record store. Another customer favourite place to visit at Pasar Besar was the circular food stall in the centre of the “mall” and the most popular thing to order at the time was the unforgettable ais kacang.
Apart from the popular shops and desserts, apparently, there was an unregistered business that was going on there as well. According to our sources, there was an illegal taxi service known locally as Teksi Sapu, where they would swoop in as many customers as they could find to pay for their services. They’d normally cost less than a normal taxi and they’d usually offer carpool services as it would be easier to send multiple people to the same destination.
The illegal Teksi Sapu services still exist to this day but they were definitely more prominent back in those times. Just like everything else, all good things must come to an end. We don’t have a specific date but some have claimed that Pasar Besar was demolished sometime in the 80s while others argued that it was the 90s. As for why it was closed down, it is believed that the area was becoming too crowded, making it no longer the ideal location to go shopping.
Those who lived through the 70s and 80s will surely remember the once-beloved shopping centre before its closure. Today, City Square has taken its place. Do you have any memories of Pasar Besar? Share them with us!
