Bangsar Neighborhood GuideDestinAsian Page 4

17A Select Store

17A Select Store stocks assorted speciality items curated by its owners.

What began as owners Irman Hilmi and Adeline Chong’s cerebral side projects curating all things cool has now blossomed into a shared-space store. 17A Select Store draws on the Japanese concept of select stores or shops of assorted wares, choosing items not on their collective cohesion but their singular meaning. The duo worked together for five years in advertising before starting the project which combines two brands, The Off Day named for Hilmi’s desire to work on the craft during his time off, and I Love Snackfood, not for its nutrition related goods, but because of the childhood simplicity Chong hopes to evoke with her selection. 17A Select Store was born in April 2013 combining the two brands in the first floor walk-up of a former Jalan Telawi art gallery. With worn hardwood floors, lofty ceilings, and barren white walls, the store lets the merchandise dominate the space, giving the shop a cozy, cluttered, but palatable setting. Aiming to support local premium designers, the store showcases Malaysian brands along with Italian fabrics, posters sourced from Tokyo, and Americana antiques. “[17A Select Store] is a reflection of the both of us, people can guess what kind of person I am and what sort of person Adeline is,” Hilmi says. “It is an extension of ourselves.”