Riuh Bazaar at APW Bangsar is one of the newest pop-up bazaars in the Klang Valley, which only started operations in August 2017. To date, they have successfully run several Riuh bazaars at APW Bangsar.
APW is actually an old building used to be the Art Printing Works building at Jalan Riong in the Bangsar area.
The printing business has ceased operations, and the building has been turned into an event and exhibition space that is rented out.
Riuh Bazaar APW Bangsar
Riuh is also a Malay word for loud festive noised and is pronounced Ri-Yoh, a catchy name for an event.
This lifestyle bazaar also caters to arts and crafts, jewellery, apparels, food and live entertainment; all housed under one space.
So, what makes this bazaar so special? The Green Daun visited this pop-up bazaar and found that the organisers had actually created a very lifestyle and hipster concept bazaar utilizing an industrial space.
This is also in line with international standards where vendors are carefully selected for the bazaar; hence you will not see the regular cheap things from other bazaars.
Riuh is also branded as a creative platform and not just another bazaar or market, with workshops, speciality items, creative vendors, unique foods, and live entertainment, making up the overall Riuh atmosphere.
This is something new that Malaysians don’t usually encounter when attending any of the local bazaars in shopping malls.
While most of us have already been to many other markets and bazaars in Malaysia, we can guess what kind of vendors you can find at these bazaars and craft markets.
Most of the time, vendors are selling common items supplied, and you may have already seen them sold in stores or online platforms.
Riuh’s direction sees more creative and lifestyle people, those who personally hand make items that are different and not found elsewhere.
More unique items would be the term, hence visiting the pop-up bazaar was rather different and interesting compared to the regular shopping mall bazaars.
During our visit here, I saw the pop-up stores is divided into two main sections. The carts used were cleverly designed and perfect for all kinds of vendors.
This means a uniform layout in an industrial space that is pleasing to the human eye.
There is an outdoors open area where children and adults played with bubbles, took photos, and had a great time.
Surrounding the event main area, you can find a coffee cafe and some other cafes where you can sit down in the air-conditioned area to relax.
Special sections with tables and chairs were also provided for those who wanted to eat or take a break from walking around here.
Riuh Food Bazaar
In the food bazaar section, two rows of kiosks offered a good mix of local and international choices. One that caught our eye was no other than the Nasi Lemak Burger; a trending dish sold out by 4.00 PM.
Other foods include healthy combinations of organic food and juices and popular state dishes like Laksa Sarawak and Nasi Dagang from Terengganu.
Generally, the choices offered here are quite interesting as I noticed many of the visitors coming here to have meals and snacks.
Entertainment at Riuh Bazaar
At the end of the food section, a mini stage area provided live entertainment by multiple up and coming musicians.
Special performances like the Sarawak Sape playing and Sabahan traditional dances were also conducted in this area.
Apparently, there are different pop-up shows during each of the Riuh Bazaars, which is a great move.
Sometimes, you will get local up and coming artists doing an unplugged pop-up performance, which is a positive way to highlight these artists.
Overall, I would have to say that there was quite a lot going on at one main event area, and this lifestyle bazaar has managed to captivate the consumers by providing this.
Parking at Riuh Bazaar
Parking here is also tricky, but the organizers have arranged a car jokey service outside with reasonable prices. For those taking the train, the Bangsar LRT Station is just a 15-minute walk away.
Alternatively, you can take a ride-hailing service like Grab or GoCar to get here. Sometimes, Riuh works with Grab Malaysia for special promotions. Look out for the Grab promo code for the next Riuh bazaar.
For those driving here, you need to know that if there is no parking in front of APW Bangsar, you need to drive in further to look for parking by the road, then walk about five minutes to the event.
Riuh Bazaar APW Bangsar
- When: Once a month
- Where: APW, Jalan Riong, Bangsar
- Website: http://www.riuh.com.my/
- Instagram: RiuhInTheCity
To book your Riuh Pop Up Store, you need to contact the organizers. The price is RM500 for two days for Pop Up Stores and RM400 for two days for food vendors.
They require a security deposit, and you need to submit it online to them. Visit their website to book or inquire about a spot at Riuh.
How to go to Riuh Bazaar?
The best way to get to Riuh Bazaar is by car, bike or LRT Train. A popular landmark is the New Straits Times office at Jalan Riong, Bangsar.
- Driving – Key in Riuh Bazaar into Waze or Google Maps, and it should lead you straight to the doorstep. Parking is available around the area.
- LRT – Take the Light Rail Transit or LRT train to the Bangsar Station using the Kelana Jaya Magenta Line (KJ16). It is a 15-minute walk to Riuh Bazaar from the station, and you can also use Waze or Google Maps for directions.
- Raid Hailing Services – Use Grab, GoCar or MyCar to get here from anywhere in the Klang Valley, and you can put in APW Bangsar as your destination.
- Taxi – Tell the taxi man or woman you want to go to New Straits Times or NST in Jalan Riong, Bangsar. If you tell the taxi APW or Riuh, they will not know where this place is.
If you are bringing in products from China that are generally commercialized, do not bother to apply. I say this because the organizers are all out to provide something different and unique.
I would suggest you apply to the many other weekend bazaars in PJ and KL, especially the shopping malls bazaars.
Conclusion
There are many other popular bazaars in Kuala Lumpur, including the Publika bazaar at Solaris and Markets at Jaya One, which is held four times a year.
However, with the same vendors being present at almost every bazaar, consumers tend to get tired of seeing the same old things.
For bazaar hunters, pop up store lovers, or anyone who wants to experience a different kind of bazaar, the Riuh Bazaar at APW Bangsar is one to check out.
They have kept to their promise by providing something unusual for the urbanite, by creating a vivacious event suitable for all walks of life.
