Dressing them up for decades
THEY were known as the Batik Kings as they were the first to start the batik business in Chulia Street in Penang. But one sibling broke away and started his own chain in nearby Campbell Street.
The late Abdul Karim Fazal Din founded F. A. Karim Cloth House in 1955 to cater to both locals and the Australians at the airbase on the mainland.
“We became a leading store catering to the needs of the Muslim community as well as the Royal Australian Air Force personnel and their families,” said Sheba, one of Abdul Karim’s eight children.
She recalled that her father had good business from the Australians post- independence as they came for their imported Swiss and French clothing products.
“We became a renowned store for imported clothing,” she said, but added that the core business of F. A. Karim came from the local Malay community whose families had patronised the shop for generations.
The shop sells items such as nyonya and kebaya dresses, jubahs, batik and sarongs.
“We cater to the locals, particularly Malays, who frequent our store for textiles and dresses,” said Sheba.
She said her father was initially not a businessman like his brothers, the Batik Kings who opened their Chulia Street store in the 1940s.
“My father was a crime investigations department officer during the British colonial days.
“He retired early in his mid- 30s to follow in the footsteps of his brothers.”
Sheba said the store had built its business since its opening 61 years ago through customer care, resulting in the descendants of its first customers still frequenting the shop.
“It was a customer base built by my father and which we continue to build on,” she explained.
Sheba’s sister Sahida took over the business in 1965 when their father died and ran the shop until Sheba left the bank where she was working five years ago to take over.
She said their customers even invited them to their special occasions such as birthdays, weddings or festivals, and they try to be present at these events.
“This practice has been a mantra and the catalyst for the growth of our business, something which was cultivated by my father when he started the store,” she added.