No regrets: Gayathiri helping her customers at her stall at the Batu Lanchang market in George Town. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
Then came the Covid-19 pandemic, which hit the tourism sector particularly hard, and she eventually lost her job. “I now work daily and rarely take a day off. I closed the stall for only four days for Deepavali, and even then, customers kept calling to check when we would reopen,” she said. “This has made a huge difference, as many do not have the time to do marketing, and this option has made it easier for them.
Meanwhile, tailor Chew Peng Peng, who joined her mother’s business when she was 16, said she always knew that one day she would be taking over.“There is a market for stitching and alterations, especially now that people are buying clothes online and always want to make some changes. We have regular customers,” said the 46-year-old.Chew said she liked that she could work at her own pace.