Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates.

Walk through the narrow streets of George Town, Penang, and you’ll hear the stories before you even reach Jalan Magazine.

Stories of yellow buses from Jelutong packed with families heading to one destination.

Stories of mothers dragging six kids across town because there was only one place that mattered. Stories of uniforms so legendary that wearing them was like sporting designer labels.

Come 31 July, those stories will become memories.

Kimnovak, the iconic school uniform shop that’s been the backbone of Malaysian education fashion since 1969, is closing its doors forever.

From Barbershop to School Uniform Empire

The business has humble beginnings – it started as a barbershop by the mother of the owner, Lim Kwee Heng.

Recognising an opportunity in the early days, when few businesses sold school uniforms, she transformed the barbershop into a specialised school uniform store.

Lim and his 70-year-old wife, Wong Bee Lian, later took over the family business.

Through dedication and continuous improvements, they built Kimnovak into a well-known brand.

Every year, before school term begins, their shop would be packed with parents and children buying uniforms.

Kimnovak owner Lim (right) and his wife Wong have been carefully sewing school uniforms, with all fabrics imported from overseas. (Pix: Kwong Wah)

More Than Just Fabric

For 56 years, the Guitar brand logo stitched into every collar wasn’t just a label—it was a badge of honour.

“Those days, wearing Guitar brand uniform is equal to wearing LV,” writes David Chew Chee Kian in a Facebook comment that’s racked up 59 likes and counting.

He’s not exaggerating. The social media tributes pouring in read like love letters to a lost era.

Zafran Zufar shopped there from Standard 1 in 1987 through Form 5 in 1997, calling it a “legend shop.”

Vijay Kumar’s been buying uniforms there since 1979.

Lina Yeoh’s family story spans three generations—she started shopping there when her kids were small, and just three years ago, she brought her granddaughter to buy her Standard 1 uniform.

“My two generations ❤️ shop. Me & my children,” writes Mageswari Krishnan. “Going to miss you Kim Novak. Happy retirement.”

The Guitar That Defined Generations

Kimnovak’s closure represents more than the end of a business—it’s the end of an era when quality mattered more than convenience, when families made shopping an event, when a guitar logo on a school uniform could make a kid feel special.

The comments section of the closure announcement reads like a digital wake, filled with equal parts gratitude and sadness.

“Best quality colour no fading,” Joyce Loh testifies.

Dorothy Lim puts it bluntly: “A bit more expensive but quality no other shops selling uniforms can compare.”

But here’s the thing that made Kimnovak special: they never branched out. While other businesses chased expansion, this single shop on Jalan Magazine became a pilgrimage site.

Families would travel from Butterworth by bus and ferry just to shop there.

What We’re Really Losing

Muhammad Yusuf remembers the ritual: “We will take the yellow bus from Jelutong and go here for shopping.. after that we will go to Komtar 4th floor to eat that famous Nazir nasi ayam.”

The Guitar logo itself became a conversation starter. “I loved when we could afford getting new uniforms with the guitar logo tags on them,” recalls Viv Adram.

Used to just love looking at that logo but had so many questions… ‘why guitar’ hahaha 😂

Then there’s the comment that breaks your heart: “My child belum born… Haiya… No chance to tell them mummy use to go here liao…” writes one parent, realizing their future children will never experience what they took for granted.

Looking at the old signboard that has been in business for many years, Lim and his wife Wong couldn’t help but feel extremely reluctant to part with it. (Pix: Kwong Wah)

The Perfect Storm

The closure isn’t sudden—it’s the result of a perfect storm that’s been brewing for years.

The owners are ageing out, no successor is waiting in the wings, and the constant changes in school uniform regulations have made the business increasingly challenging to navigate.

It’s a story playing out across Malaysia, where family businesses that once anchored communities are disappearing.

But Kimnovak’s closure feels different. This isn’t just about losing a shop—it’s about losing a cultural institution.

“Penangites parents choice before online shopping era existed,” writes Nur Hidayah, capturing something essential about what’s being lost.

In an age of online shopping deliveries and fast fashion, Kimnovak represented something increasingly rare: craftsmanship, consistency, and community connection.

Kimnovak is located at 207, Jalan Magazine, 10300 George Town, Penang. They’re open from 10:30 am to 6 pm, closed on Sundays, until 31 July 2025.

Parts of this story have been sourced from Kwong Wah.

Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Threads.

Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.