Sprightly octogenarian finds joy in serving tourists
AT the age of 85, Pheh Seow Joo could just step back in life.
But she will not lay back on her lazy chair and watch from her shophouse the hustle and bustle of Armenian Street which is her home for decades.
Armenian Street is fast gaining popularity among tourists — foreign and local alike who come to admire the architecture and rustic the old buildings radiate.
Instead of relaxing and enjoying the view, Pheh wants a little piece of the action.
“Come on. Help me with these boxes of souvenirs and T-shirts. We need to put them on our five-foot way and start our business,” called the mother of eight to her middle-aged daughter.
It was a Saturday and tourists would throng Armenian Street in droves. Pheh readies herself for a day of brisk business as she takes out an array of Penang-themed souvenirs and arranged it on a table.
Her age does not limit her movement. She worked fast to put together T-shirts and floral-print pants on hangers and placed them on rows of clothes racks.
Many of the attractive coloured T-shirts depict popular mural images such as Little Children On A Bicycle. There are also those in Hokkien words such as BoJio and Buey Tahan, which are popular among youngsters.
Pheh’s energetic character would even put youths to shame. She tirelessly recommends T-shirts of various designs and colours to a steady stream of customers.
Delighted to serve customers, Pheh offers a smile to all although some may not purchase her goods.
If one is not keen on a T-shirt, Pheh happily offers mineral water or the traditional tube ice cream to quench her customer’s thirst.
“I’m happy to be spending my free time selling T-shirts and ice creams to people. It keeps me occupied and I love meeting new people.
“After George Town got listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2008, tourism started to pick up here. It got better when the 3D murals starting popping out. Pedestrian traffic increased and people noticed the beauty of Armenian Street, thanks to the murals by Ernest Zacharevic.
“That’s when I got to open a stall with my daughter about a year ago. Things got better for me after my rented home here was refurbished to our comfort,” she said.
Her son, Leow Lim Hsu Kuang, 57, said he has never seen his mother happier and the sight of tourists sparked her idea on starting a business.
“My mother is 85, yet she was very gung-ho about it. She wakes up every day with such enthusiasm for the ‘working’ hours ahead of her. She jolts us to help her with all the merchandise.
“The house restoration also gave her the excitement. We have lived here for 60 years, renting this place from the Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple.
“Our home was dilapidated and we forked out a lot of money to repair it. Then came Think City’s Physical Upgrading project in 2011 which helped us do repairs on the roof and the wooden structures.
“The project had kept the rental here low at RM400 a month which we are grateful for,” he said.
Leow said his granduncle and late father used to run a charcoal factory at the front portion of their home. The family business ended after their passing.
However, they still distribute charcoal, sourced externally, to the people living in Armenian Street.
“My mother is very happy manning the stall. Just like how this quiet street became busy, so did my mother’s life.”
Streets met Pheh on a busy and rainy day but it did not stop her from working.
In the middle of the interview, the reporter requested to take several pictures of her, which the latter obliged.
After taking a few shots, Pheh brushed her hair using fingers and asked in Hokkien, “Do I look pretty?”
Tourists throng the Armenian Street to purchase souvenirs.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
AT the age of 85, Pheh Seow Joo could just step back in life.
But she will not lay back on her lazy chair and watch from her shophouse the hustle and bustle of Armenian Street which is her home for decades.
Armenian Street is fast gaining popularity among tourists — foreign and local alike who come to admire the architecture and rustic the old buildings radiate.
Instead of relaxing and enjoying the view, Pheh wants a little piece of the action.
“Come on. Help me with these boxes of souvenirs and T-shirts. We need to put them on our five-foot way and start our business,” called the mother of eight to her middle-aged daughter.
It was a Saturday and tourists would throng Armenian Street in droves. Pheh readies herself for a day of brisk business as she takes out an array of Penang-themed souvenirs and arranged it on a table.
Her age does not limit her movement. She worked fast to put together T-shirts and floral-print pants on hangers and placed them on rows of clothes racks.
Many of the attractive coloured T-shirts depict popular mural images such as Little Children On A Bicycle. There are also those in Hokkien words such as BoJio and Buey Tahan, which are popular among youngsters.
Pheh’s energetic character would even put youths to shame. She tirelessly recommends T-shirts of various designs and colours to a steady stream of customers.
Delighted to serve customers, Pheh offers a smile to all although some may not purchase her goods.
If one is not keen on a T-shirt, Pheh happily offers mineral water or the traditional tube ice cream to quench her customer’s thirst.
“I’m happy to be spending my free time selling T-shirts and ice creams to people. It keeps me occupied and I love meeting new people.
“After George Town got listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2008, tourism started to pick up here. It got better when the 3D murals starting popping out. Pedestrian traffic increased and people noticed the beauty of Armenian Street, thanks to the murals by Ernest Zacharevic.
“That’s when I got to open a stall with my daughter about a year ago. Things got better for me after my rented home here was refurbished to our comfort,” she said.
Her son, Leow Lim Hsu Kuang, 57, said he has never seen his mother happier and the sight of tourists sparked her idea on starting a business.
“My mother is 85, yet she was very gung-ho about it. She wakes up every day with such enthusiasm for the ‘working’ hours ahead of her. She jolts us to help her with all the merchandise.
“The house restoration also gave her the excitement. We have lived here for 60 years, renting this place from the Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple.
“Our home was dilapidated and we forked out a lot of money to repair it. Then came Think City’s Physical Upgrading project in 2011 which helped us do repairs on the roof and the wooden structures.
“The project had kept the rental here low at RM400 a month which we are grateful for,” he said.
Leow said his granduncle and late father used to run a charcoal factory at the front portion of their home. The family business ended after their passing.
However, they still distribute charcoal, sourced externally, to the people living in Armenian Street.
“My mother is very happy manning the stall. Just like how this quiet street became busy, so did my mother’s life.”
Streets met Pheh on a busy and rainy day but it did not stop her from working.
In the middle of the interview, the reporter requested to take several pictures of her, which the latter obliged.
After taking a few shots, Pheh brushed her hair using fingers and asked in Hokkien, “Do I look pretty?”
Tourists throng the Armenian Street to purchase souvenirs.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
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