KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18, 2015:
As BB Plaza readies to shut down by March this year, its largest tenant, Metrojaya ran its closing down sale over the past few weeks.
With today being its last day of operations, a few took the opportunity to grab their moving out sale.
Some customers and Metrojaya staff told The Rakyat Post that its closure was upsetting news as the decades-old mall held memories for them.
One customer, who only wanted to be know as Chong, 50, said she used to work at Imbi Plaza here as a clerk.
During her break, she would have her meal at BB Plaza and take some time to walk around.
“I’m quite upset that it’s closing because it’s my favourite mall. I used to take the public transport to work and got so familiar with the place that I keep coming back here.
“When there was a sale, many would rush here and it would get so crowded that it was hard to shop.”
She added although she now stayed in Desa Petaling, she still enjoyed heading to BB Plaza.
Wong Ping Keong, 63, who moved to Kuala Lumpur from Kelantan in 2008, said he frequented the mall, especially Metrojaya.
“I always come here, at least twice a month. I came today because of the massive sale, but didn’t buy anything today because I spent quite a bit yesterday.
“I like coming here because it’s close-by, although the products may be the same as anywhere else.”
Syareena, 47, has been working in Metrojaya for seven years and said many frequent customers had told her how upset they were that it was closing.
“They talk about how much they like this mall as they used to come pak toh (dating) here.
“I’m also quite sad that it’s going to shut down because I’ve worked here for so long. It’s a convenient place to shop because of the monorail station here and many know the place as BB Plaza and not Sungai Wang.”
She said the staff would be transferred to other Metrojaya outlets and she would be going to the branch at The Curve, Damansara.
She also shared that a farewell party was planned for Metrojaya’s staff on Jan 28.
Sarima Shin, 49, who works at the ladies department, said she would be placed at the Wangsa Maju Metrojaya branch.
Having worked there for four years now, she noticed that since the MRT construction commenced, there had been less customers frequenting the mall.
She revealed that four years ago, daily sales raked in RM1,000 to RM2,000 and above. These days, however, sales were down to between nothing and RM1,000.
“I’m also quite sad, because I will go to a place where I have no friends. But when I move to the Wangsa Maju branch, it will be closer to home.”
She said come tomorrow, staff would be given five days to clear everything to be taken to other branches.
While the two know what the future holds for them, things are not the same for Nepali security guard Abintomaiai, 26, who has yet to know where he would be placed.
“I have a three-year permit to work in Malaysia and this is my second year with Metrojaya. I don’t know where I’ll be going to because my boss has not told me yet.”
BB Plaza is expected make way for a 60-storey luxury condominium with a three-level mall below it.
UDA Holdings chairman Datuk Johari Abdul Ghani reportedly said in the middle of  last year that the redevelopment would be incorporated with an underground MRT station, currently under construction.
Advertorial in the Sunday Star, 18 January, 2015 page 21