Aladdin’s Cave: Part II

Here’s Part II of our feature on Star Enterprise, a well-known stationary shop in Taman Tun Dr Ismail. More pictures and a short interview with founder and owner Mrs. Tan, who seems to get younger every year!

Read Part I here.

Sharon Chin: Hi Mrs. Tan, Star Enterprise is something of an institution in Taman Tun. When and how did it start exactly?

Mrs. Tan: We opened in 1986, so we’ve been here 23 years! At the time TTDI wasn’t as developed as it is now. We started with half a shoplot, extended to a full one and now we occupy two lots.

I’ve been interested in arts and crafts since I was a young girl, especially needlecrafts. [The shop has an extensive haberdashery section].

Yes, Star Enterprise has always had a very personal feel to it.

Alot of the stationary products we carry are selected by myself. I choose things that I find interesting or useful. Many of them are limited edition selections from places like India, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Taiwan and Japan.

What are the sort of people who visit your shop?

We’re well known for having ‘everything’! It’s like a one-stop shop for whatever you need, so we service the locals in TTDI and also customers from all over, including expats who can’t find what they want in Bangsar and other places. A lady from London even brought a group of tourists in!

Alot who come in are working on art projects (like yourself), including those doing photo and film shoots.

How has Star Enterprise changed over the years?

As mentioned before, we’ve expanded and renovated. So things are neater and more organized now. We also put in a computerized system to keep track of stock.

My oldest son is taking over the business, so he’s taking care of the shop now.

What do you think makes Star Enterprise so special?

I think because people can find what they are looking for. If it’s not in the shop, I use my contacts and knowledge to help them source for the product. People know us for this: ‘You ask Star Enterprise first. If you can’t find it here, it can’t be found’.

Thanks Mrs. Tan!

(SC)

Bags!
~

Boxes!
~

Brushes! I wish someone would do a study on the exact amount of time and usage it takes to make the tip of a Chinese brush just the right degree of softness and pointedness. I have one that’s 5 years old – it almost has a life of its own.
~

Beautiful Chinese knot buttons and fastenings (also known as frog buttons).
~

Stabilo Fineliner 88 color pens are a favorite with many. You can buy them individually, or as a set. Lately they came out with mini ones!
~

Fabric paint, glass paint and glitter glue. I dye, do you dye?
~

Just what is glitter made out of, anyway?
~

Who cares when you can wear it on your head! Like a rhinestone cowboy…
~

If don’t want to spend hours getting your hands henna-ed properly, just use this here handy stencil!
~

Pagoda brand singlet and shirts. A true style original.
~

A highly skilled Kakak presides over the ordered chaos of the photocopying and binding section.
~

I’m sure there was a time in the distant past when there was only one kind of Post-it note: yellow, and square. No longer, no longer.
~

What every artist loves to see: little red dot stickers all over their exhibition, meaning sold works. Some galleries use the big fluorescent orange ones, but I’m a sticker snob, and I like the small, elegant ones on the right.
~

Sticker snob!!
~

Colored (and straight) ice-cream sticks
~

Barricade tape… *pant pant* I am running out of enthusiastic captions. Can you tell?
~

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, beloved readers of ARTERI. May your year ahead be filled with colour and light.

~

Star Enterprise is located at 112 & 114 Jalan Burhanuddin Helmi, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur. Phone: +(603) 77270757. Fax: +(603) 77290013. You can also email them: starenterprisettdi AT gmail DOT com.