Kedai Runcit Kita
As we grow up in Malaysia, most of us probably remember a place that filled with childhood and nostalgic memories. It is a place “sometimes you pass by, sometimes you forget, but when you need it, you know it is always there.” So what is this place? It is Kedai Runcit Kita!
Kedai Runcit plays a crucial role in our Malaysian identity and it also a hub that brings everyone together, and this is what make our country unique.
Kedai Runcit has no glamorous decoration, small yet complete in every detail. It is also the most daily life scene in many people’s minds. It not only provides people with their daily needs but also plays a part in cultivating strong relationships between shop owners and customers in society.
The issues:
As Malaysia strives for the advancement of society, more and more traditional Kedai Runcit have become irrelevant. Although the traditional ‘kedai runcit’ still exist today but are barely surviving due to the economic downturn. With the passage of time and the integration of technology in our daily lives, we wondered if these kedai runcits would still be around in the coming years. According to the research, the owner of the kedai runcit in Singapore shared that the kedai runcit began slowing down in the 2000s. This is mainly due to the presence of giant supermarket chains like Giant, Tesco and Aeon. Also, many young people are turning away from local kedai runcits and prefer larger supermarkets instead.
The purpose of this work:
To feature and foreground once more the uniqueness and culture of Malaysian kedai runcits. But beyond evoking nostalgia, it is my intention to understand the shop owner’s experiences in dealing with changes and focus on how people are affected by the evolving times, as well as highlight the problems they face when it comes to integration with modern ways of life.
To achieve this, my intention is to use mixed media to convey information and create valuable content that can evoke the memories of the audiences and understand the importance of a kedai runcit through a series of publications and an online podcasts.
Kedai Runcit not only provides daily necessities but also forms a precious relationship within the community, which is also one of the unique charms of the kedai runcit. Hence, the purpose of this project is to appreciate and reminisce the culture of traditional kedai runcits, and record it down this culture for the young generations to look back on.
The audience can explore the content through three different mini-books in a way to have a better understanding of the culture and appreciate the efforts behind each kedai runcits in Malaysia.
Prototype (Progress)
The content of the book is divided into five parts which are the old memories in kedai runcits, business heng-heng ah!, kalak but unique lah!, everything in kedai runcit, and the good old days in kedai runcit kita!. The watercolour illustration is also used in this series of mini-books, which can help enhance the overall feeling and look more special.
Watercolour Illustration (Progress)
Brand Logo Design (Progress)
Final Outcomes:
To make the mini-books more interesting, there will be some images or illustrations to go along with the content. Also, there is a generated QR code for the audiences to scan it. The QR code is a link to a podcast website.
Podcast Website: https://www.behance.net/gallery/131687155/Kedai-Runcit-Chat
A final year project 2021 - Traditional Kedai Runcits in Malaysia
