BUS BOUTIQUE

In 2012, they took their business mobile by transforming a former bus into mobile boutique. Their "apparel bus" travels mostly around Pantai Cenang in Langkawi.

Earlier, when 27-year-old Izman Malik voiced out this idea on spending RM20,000 to buy a mini bus and turn it into a mobile boutique, many sceptics said it was a ridiculous idea.

And he proved them wrong.

Today, his mobile boutique, in which he sells various types of handicrafts, accessories, clothing including cute baby stuff, is now fully operational and can be seen being flocked by customers almost every night at the famous Cenang beach here.

Ipoh-born Izman told media he got the idea after seeing it in Australia during his visit there in 2007.

"People told me it was a ridiculous idea, but I just turned a deaf ear. All I wanted just to do it for my wife and future children. To rent a shop would be too costly and the costs associated with setting up a brick-and-mortar retail location can be daunting for first-time entrepreneurs,” he said.

Making sure the boutique taking care of good quality and reasonable price products, most of the handicrafts and accessories sold in his mobile boutique were personally made and crafted by his creative Canadian wife, Claudia Hamel, 24.

His boutique also sells Kimono batik as an effort to promote Malaysian batik, especially to foreign tourists.

These new mobile stores are like the kiosks in shopping malls coming back full circle, but instead of being located in one place, they can move around and experiment with different locations.