Kedai runcit in KL

Stepping into Allapitchay Store – an ottu kadai, which in Tamil means a small Indian sundry shop – has one taking a step some five decades back. It sells basic items, much like a people’s pre-war 7-Eleven, so to speak: a place to sneak a soft drink and some snacks, such as buns and kacang putih, or to scan the newspapers and magazines hanging from the grills and walls, proclaiming Bollywood goss, no less.

Tucked among other food stalls in the TTDI wet market, Kedai Runcit Maniam has been peddling a variety of cooking staples and dry goods for more than 30 years. But owner Maniam learned the trade way before that – he used to help his father tend a store at Central Market before running his own sundry shop in TTDI. Kedai Runcit Maniam is a treasure trove of Indian cooking ingredients – think ghee, curry spices, lentils, and batter mix for snacks like vadai.

The shops on this stretch are a mixture of old and new, but Kian Huat stands out as one of Damansara Jaya’s oldest. The shelves are neatly stocked with household items and snacks, and there’s a glass cabinet filled with vinegars and cooking wines. This is also one of the few kedai runcits that still have tikam-tikam machines fronting the store.

Buying wafer sticks from Chai Joo Seng is a jolly way to indulge in childhood nostalgia. This zhap fo pou has been around since the mid-70s, filling up Bangsar homes with household staples such as feather dusters, clogs and jars of pineapple biscuits. The shop is a lasting symbol of a bygone practice – when fresh goods arrived in baskets and not plastic sealed; when the abacus was more reliable than a calculator; and when the idea of tikam-tikam was fun.

Locals in the Setiawangsa and Jelatek area won’t have to travel far as this kedai runcit is nestled within the neighbourhood, selling everything catering to last minute grocery runs, from sacks of potatoes to eggs by the cartons and more. We say browse slowly and you’ll find all sorts of childhood snacks – we spotted Nyam Nyam.