Misteri Gunung Semanggi – Kemana Raksasanya? A Giant Vanishes!

Sad to see the handy Giant Supermarket at Plaza Semanggi is no more.

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• It was a useful shopping centre, often with excellent discounts, two loaves for the price of one (same offer for yummy donuts!) plus eggs at 50% the regular price, and often chicken legs, breasts and other interesting parts at similarly reduced prices.
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• Alas, it’s gone, maybe forever, though of that I can’t be sure.
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When I went in there last month, the shelves were virtually bare. The security man on duty confirmed my worst fears, ‘closing down,’ but only this branch, he added, so I suppose I can venture to Slipi Jaya’s Giant. Used to shop there a lot, because my then co-shopper favoured it, but co-shoppers change…or rather, we do change our co-shoppers from time to time!

It turns out Giant is owned by Hero, who also have supermarkets in their own name, which I also patronise because they sell cat-food at reasonable prices. Hero say they’re not closing down branches, simply moving them. Yet no info on where they are moving to!  http://bisniskeuangan.kompas.com/read/2015/08/11/114600926/Hero.Akan.Pindahkan.Gerai.Giant

I further learned that Plaza Semanggi is owned by the Lippo Group, an outfit indelibly associated with the ghastly Clinton family!

Lippo also own Hypermart…

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The Clinton connection, and the icy temperature they insist on maintaining in at least one of their outlets…

Astaga! Makanan Kucing Kampung, Rp. 19,900? 

…makes me reluctant to shop there unless absolutely necessary!

So will Hypermart decide to occupy the vacant space!

Let the mystery unfold!

 

Prices At Puri- Hati2, Kucing2!

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Just got back from Hypermart, a cat-food run, greedy little beast thinks every time she goes out the door, she has a divine right to return to a full plate, regardless of the duration of her absence. I only visited their Puri branch as I was meeting people in the mall nearby, and it made sense to kill 2 birds with one stone.

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But Hypermart’s demands, 19,900 for a can of Super Cat, is an insult, adding to the injury of their imbecilic air-con, which, despite protests, is still maintained at near-Arctic level.

Better, I decided, to go to the nearby Hero, where the same item costs under Rp.13,000.

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Now she’s eaten, so I shall go out again in search of the tukang gado2.

Unvarying price, Rp. 10,000 for a good-sized late lunch.

 

 

Astaga! Makanan Kucing Kampung, Rp. 19,900?

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• Spent a while down Puri Indah the other day, lovely weather, took my Kindle. It’s nice to sit in the smoking area of JCO with an Americano black coffee, reading a book for a while.
• Then I thought to brave the icy climate of the (relatively) new Hypermart.
• The management of Lippo Mall Puri MUST be pressured on the temperature there, which is reminiscent of a mild December day in Ontario.

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• I’m sure they may lose customers in consequence of the chilly interior. I only went back this week because it seemed to me they might have recognised the unacceptability of wintry conditions by now.

• But no!
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•  Lippo Mall, Puri
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• However, once in, I zoomed towards the pet-food area (moving energetically to keep warm!) which, as in so many other supermarkets here, is located down past the kitchenware and hardware section.
• What have dogs and cats to do with scissors, etc.?
• Pets belong with people.

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Nevertheless, when I saw the price of Supercat, one can costing Rp.19,900, I walked out at once. I know prices tend to soar during Ramadan, but come on…that’s just outrageous, since only a few days ago I bought the same item for Rp.12,700 at Hero, in Mal Citraland.

My feline is indeed of West Java origin, but she ain’t fasting! And she’s not one of those stuck-up angoras – she’s a kucing kampung, adopted from a long line of street cats.

 A quick – well, slow, actually, it being gloriously hot outdoors – stroll to the older mall nearby, took me to the Hero there, and sure enough, cans galore, and my non-fussy, non-fasting cat was as happy as I was when I brought some of them home in triumph. 

What is it with that Hypermart? Everywhere else, you can find discounts of 50 per cent, frequently, but in the Big H, the best I could find was 20 per cent.

Not good enough!

Unless I find a discounted sweater to buy, I shall not be shopping there again.

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On reflection, I may buy some more at Hero today.

Or I suppose I could always send the cat!

 

 

Getting High? The Price of Coke in Jakarta!

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Not a post about drug dealing, but about a strange situation with regard to pricing of certain soft drinks in two Jakarta superstores.

I think mention was previously made of the time limit placed on the cheap price of Coke and Sprite, first of all till the end of August, then till the end of October.

Over the weekend, whilst wandering around this fine city, I made two shopping stops, one in Lotte Mart, the other in Hypermart.

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 In the former, Coke and Sprite were even cheaper than last time I was there, under Rp.9000 for a big bottle.

In the latter, the price had shot up to over Rp.14,000!

Why?

Usually, competing stores charge a little bit more or a little bit less than their rivals. 

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 This picture of the gorgeous Anggun has nothing to do with this post. I just like it!

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But after the recent coverage given to the vast gap in the cost of Diamond milk cartons…

Berapa Sapi Mogok? Harga Gila Di Hero Puri! 

…I am becoming ever more curious about pricing policy.