Jom!

#JOM! SHOP: A mini Vietnam in Segambut

A LITTLE mart offering a taste of authentic Vietnamese culture, Kim Viet Mart Trading is basically a short form of 'Vietnam Market' in the translation.

Located in Segambut, Kuala Lumpur, the convenient store is owned by Ng Chuang Huat and his Chinese-Vietnamese wife, Le Thi Kim Cuc.

"We started operating in 2016 to serve the Vietnamese community here. We thought that they would enjoy some local products from home while being away from home," says Ng.

Ng describes it as a go-to mini mart located in a hidden street of Taman Sri Sinar for the locals to discover imported products and unexpected finds from Vietnam.

As borders are closed due to Covid-19, many are being stranded in the land of fertile soil including the Vietnamese and Burnamese communities. The store has been their backbone in supplying their favourite food from home to keep their homesickness at bay.

But, to some, it is a place to experience the diversity in Vietnamese cuisine.

The store has been running steadily even in times of crisis as Ng sticks to his principles in delivering the customer needs. Most of his loyal customers would still prefer to shop in-store (following the Standard Operating Procedures) to experience the authenticity of the mini mart.

Minimal is the best single word to describe Ng's store; a red signboard with collected photographs showcasing bestsellers and sought after products but he keeps the interior bare to organise the product category in a layout of shipping box containers.

More than 50-70% small businesses have closed since the start of the pandemic and thousands more are at risk, according to the Malaysian Retail Chain Association.

It is already harder to put a value on the cracky independence of small-business owners, or their collective importance to community spirit and even the Malaysian idea. Throughout the pandemic, Ng has continued his journey to provide the community on the clock.

He could not stop himself from driving to the store everyday, which is allowed because grocery is considered as an essential store. He keeps the lights on and the door opens and does his routine at the store.

Still, more than a year into the pandemic, he started giving out face masks and essentials to the poor. At the age of 59, his love knows no boundaries, his compassion for others is powerful yet understated.

A MART OF LOVE

As a Malaysian man, Ng has been at the forefront of a diverse community for years — but his experience also shows him how close his relationship is between his customers and his wife, Kim who is a Chinese-Vietnamese migrated from Ho Chi Minh City.

In her daily shift work, she would normally do all the language translation for most products written in Vietnamese to Chinese language to practically help Ng to further educate him, mainly in ingredient lists, instructions, and other product details.

In the early journey, Ng was skeptical in building the market as they were similar shops selling imported-only products (and produce), but eventually, he was drafted into the spirit by helping the needy, and with the current stay-at-home order by the local authorities, which immediately traded him to make the goods accessible to all, both in-store and delivery.

Growing old together, the store was the couple's life. From the time she crossed paths with Ng at a town in northern Kuala Lumpur, then she earned a living card here just to make an extra earning to support her family back home due to the country's lower middle-income.

In exchange, Ng as a gentleman ceded the store's second line to his wife for daily conversation with the community they built. The deluxe attention to detail that Ng sought out and his wife proudly supported.

A ready-made meal and convenient food have been selling out during the pandemic, but Kim Viet has plenty in stock, and the neighborhoods, Ng says, are keen to support local stores.

His loyal customers — community he has known for decades — delighted him by always dropping in, mask on, slicked back hair, a polo shirt, telling him they would not buy anywhere else.

"Over the years, I shared my journey with them, celebrated and had them host my life passages and gatherings. I will always treasure these moments and value my friendship."

FAST FACTS

KIM VIET MART TRADING

No.17, Jalan 15/38D

Taman Sri Sinar, Segambut

51200 Kuala Lumpur

HOURS 11am - 6pm (Mondays to Saturdays), closes at 5pm on Sundays

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