Sarinah, as Indonesia's first modern department store in Southeast Asia, was founded in 1962 and operated in 1966. The name Sarinah taken from the name of the loyal caretaker of the Indonesian proclaimer Ir. Soekarno who has a talent for embroidering and represents millions of Indonesians skilled in the creative home industry.
The establishment of Gedung Sarinah as the first Modern Retail Store based on the spirit of nationality and Soekarno's concern for the home industry. The development, which located in the center of Jakarta, coincides with the Gelora Bung Karno Building (GBK), Semanggi, Monas and other masterpieces, is a project whose benefits continue to be felt today even though Bung Karno is gone.
The renovation of the Sarinah Building is not just a renewal and refreshment but also a manifestation of the history of Indonesian retail trade born from the noble ideals of the founders of this nation. Soekarno's philosophy is profound and he reflects from his guardian. "Sarinah has taught me, educated me to understand that everything in this country depends on the little people." said Erick Thohir, Minister of SOEs. "There are many things that (Sarinah) must be fixed. Updates need to be made to be able to remain competitive, but without leaving the historical value of Sarinah itself." he also continued that "Sarinah is a project created by extraordinary Soekarno. Sarinah today, and there must be Sarinah in the future. Because of that, Mr. Jokowi himself and I discussed how to make this retail concept more attached to Indonesia, which means taking sides with local brands and curated SMEs," said Erick Thohir.
The essence of Sarinah's transformation is to return to his goal while maintaining the integrity of the nation's founders' legacy but with contemporary touch and existence that promises sustainable business growth in the future.
On the other hand, it is time for the building that is more than half a century old to be renovated to maintain the structure's robustness by taking into account the Golden Rule related to Safety, Health and the Environment. The renovation plan has been announced for a long time, but it is only starting to be rolled out.
The renovation was scheduled to begin in June 2020, but because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the renovation work started with design, architecture, mapping, technical audit and others has not caused the crowd and have to follow restrictions protocols then followed by physical construction. The condition we are currently facing is currently being used by PT Sarinah (Persero) for this design activity. It is hoped that when the outbreak is over, construction work can begin gradually. On the right occasion, we will announce to public the direction map and blueprint for the transformation of Sarinah and hope for the blessing and support of all Indonesian people and visitors and tourists to Sarinah.
As a result of this renovation and maintaining the Golden Rule, physically, the building must be vacated, and the demolition of tenant outlets also needs to be done.
Especially for McDonald's tenants where Sarinah is their flagship store, we admit that Sarinah Thamrin is a sentimental landmark, especially for 90s youth. It's not just a coincidence that Sarinah also has historical and sentimental values for the 60s, 70s, and even 80s, especially for Baby Boomer generations. This is the value Sarinah wants to build, as the nation's flagship retailer that is captivating and highly attractive, not only for consumers, employees, and management but also for all Indonesian people.
Our cooperation with tenants is generally always maintained and sustainable. This manifestation is that Sarinah has a high selling value and managed with a family spirit and siding with MSMEs. Still, we are aware that the temporary closure has an impact on tenants.
Following the Lease agreement, all parties' rights and obligations will be resolved by deliberation to an acceptable agreement to all parties.
Thank you to all parties for your understanding and cooperation. Pray for blessings so that Sarinah as the nation's historical department store will operate again and with the community towards a better future, especially in achieving the awakening of local brands and products with global quality as well as international products with local content in the national superior MSMEs value chain.
For further information, please contact:
Haslinda Triekasari
Corporate Secretary - PT. Sarinah (Persero)
PT SARINAH (PERSERO)
Jl. MH Thamrin No. 11
Jakarta 10350, Indonesia
(021) 31923008 ext. 490
Instagram: @sarinahindonesia
Twitter: @sarinahindonesia
Facebook: Sarinah Indonesia FanPage
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