When you walk into The Goods Dept, housed in a cavernous space at Plaza Indonesia’s third floor, it immediately becomes clear that this is not your typical department store.
White walls, cement floors and mood lighting give the space an artsy feel, like one is shopping in a massive and chic studio apartment.
The store was conceptualized by organizers of the famed Brightspot Markets — moving flea markets where cutting-edge boutique vendors and designers showcase their wares.
These have been held every three months in various locations since last year.
The events, usually held for three days, have steadily gained recognition as venues where people can find all things cool under one roof.
With The Goods Dept, Brightspot creators have taken the successful flea-market idea and given it a permanent home.
In its soft launch last week, hundreds flocked to Plaza Indonesia to check out accessories, home products, bicycles, cameras and more.
Its clothing section features items from independent fashion designers and international brands.
“Like Brightspot, we also select designers for this store,” said Anton Wirjono, one of the organizers.
Designed to be a multidimensional retail hub, The Goods Dept also hosts alternative lifestyle events like art exhibits, film screenings and fashion shows.
Targeting Jakarta’s fashion-forward crowd, the store has nightly performances by DJs and a cafe stocked with cupcakes, sodas and cold beer.
Visitors can even shop holding a plate full of snacks.
Anton said organizing the Brightspot Markets was challenging enough, but their work became even more hectic when they opened The Goods Dept.
At the moment, he said, everyone was still adjusting to the daily demands of running a shop.
Though it is more sedentary than its nomadic Brightspot counterpart, there are also some temporary aspects to The Goods Dept.
For instance, it will only be at Plaza Indonesia for one year.
Further, the layout and features of the store keep on changing, with the organizers constantly looking for things to add to the space, in keeping with the latest fashion and culture trends.
By keeping this transitory element, the owners hope to increase the shop’s appeal as a special and exclusive shopping destination.
This concept has proved lucrative, with more and more Jakartans flocking to events like Brightspot.
Earlier this year, the Grand Indonesia mall launched the Level One Project, a similar event where promising young designers can sell their collections in a chic brick-and-mortar space.
Similarly, The Goods Dept reserves most of its racks and shelves for the collections of budding Indonesian designers such as Shahnaz Soraya, a recent graduate of the Esmod International Fashion University Group.
She said it was the first time she showcased her label, Anez, at a department store.
“It is quite an experience for me to prepare a collection for display,” she said.
Another designer, Nina Nikicio, has already been asked to hold a fashion show at the shop, which she says has the perk of attracting her exact target market.
“It’s a perfect store for me,” Nina said. “The people who come to The Goods Dept are the type of shoppers who will wear my designs.”
The store will also be the first real-world dealer of Cotton Ink, an online label named as Indonesia’s most innovative brand at the Cleo Fashion Awards at the Jakarta Fashion Week last month.
“We are excited to be a part of this store,” said Carline Darjanto, a Cotton Ink designer.
“We have a lot of dresses in the new collection and it will be good that our customers can finally try them on before they buy them.”
Though it is already up and running, The Goods Dept will only be officially launched on Dec. 29.
The organizers said several soft launches would be held in the coming weeks, including a Christmas-themed karaoke night and an open bar stocked with holiday cocktails.
The Goods Dept
Plaza Indonesia Extension, 4th floor
Jl. M.H. Thamrin Kav. 28-30
Central Jakarta
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